Govt. seeks to end customary land disputes

Government has reaffirmed its commitment to working with traditional rulers in finding lasting solutions to the rising disputes on chiefdom boundaries.

Minister of Lands, Natural Resources and Environment Protection Wilbur Simuusa said government was deeply concerned with the rising land disputes among chiefdoms in the country.

Mr. Simuusa said traditional rulers should strive to follow laid down laws regarding the resolving of chiefdom boundary disputes.

He said following the law will put to rest chiefdom boundary wrangles among chiefs and their subjects.

Mr. Simuusa also said government has developed strategies that were aimed at mitigation the escalating land disputes in order to accelerate social and economic development in the country.

He said government will promote security of tenure for customary land in rural areas and further eradicate inequalities among interested groups in terms of gaining access to land in order to cater for the less privileged people in all the districts.

He was speaking in Lusaka today when he officially opened a one day consultative meeting with members of the House of Chiefs on the challenges of administration of customary land in Zambia.

And Mr. Simuusa has maintained that the 1958 land demarcation on all customary was till effective and should not be ignored by traditional rulers in the country.

Mr. Simuusa has since implored all traditional leaders to refer to the 1958 chiefdom land demarcation maps in order to avoid disputes.

Meanwhile, Commissioner of Land Barnaby Mulenga attributed the rise in chiefdom land disputes to the rising threats of forgeries and the consistent use of forged date stamps on consented forms by those acquiring lands.

Mr. Mulenga said there was need for clarity from only consented and gazetted chiefs when allocating land to small scale farmers and investors in various chiefdoms across the country.