Landnet welcomes passing of Land Bills despite flaws

Landnet has welcomed passing of four Land Bills into law despite some hitches.

The National Coordinator for Landnet, Emmanuel Mlaka told a news conference in Lilongwe that “Passing of the four bills is less evil than rejecting the bills.”

Mlaka said Landnet will continue with advocacy and lobbying until all the remaining six bills are passed , saying they are inter related.

“These bills will be working together so we still need the remaining bills,” said Mlaka.

Mlaka acknowledged complaints from the oppositionon controversial bills as genuine.

“Yes the complaints are genuine we are aware of that,” said Mlaka.

Mlaka said the bills addresses 80 % of problems which Malawians have been facing.

Meanwhile,  Parliamentary committee on environment, and natural resources, Werani Chilenga, accused Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development Atupele Muluzi, of playing hide and seek game on the bill.

“We met at Capital Hotel where we agreed to do necessary amendments on the bill to remove clauses such fees on customary land, registering process, removing clauses on freehold status on land but we were surprised that the clauses were still there in the bills,” said Chilenga.

Chilenga said what this means is that owners of tea estate shall continue holding the land freely.

He said parliament will continue working on the remaining six bills since they are supposed to work together.

But Muluzi , maintained that freehold land should be leased out.

He said: “I tried to explain to them [opposition], but sometimes we have to agree to disagree. Nobody is providing a solution and this is what we are saying.

“I have a duty as a minister to point out on a clause which is not in conformity and I have to defend it. The minute we amend, it would be challenged in court and nullified, so what is the point of passing it here? After all, this is only three percent, which is already contributing to the economy of the country.”

Landnet with support from International Land Coalition (ILC) has been conducting sensitisation meetings for various stakenholders including parliament to understand, present, discuss and pass the 2016 Land Bill which comprises ten Land-related bills including Land, Customary, Registered, Land Acquisitions (Amendment), Physical Planning, Land Survey, Local Government (Amendment), Malawi Housing (Amendment), Forestry (Amendment) and Public Roads.

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