The Kazungula District Council has resolved to repossess plots that have remained undeveloped for over five years.
The Council will repossess both residential and commercial plots from owners who acquired the pieces of land from 2009 to date but have not yet developed them.
Kazungula District Council Secretary Raphael Zulu said the council would first write warning letters to plot owners who have not yet developed the plots to do so failure to which they risked their land being repossessed.
Mr. Zulu said in an interview with ZANIS in Kazungula today that his Council has given plenty of land to people who have not shown seriousness to develop it hence retarding the development the district is aiming to achieve.
He said all the plots that would be seen to be inactive within the council’ specified period of time will be repossessed and given to serious applicants with the zeal to develop Kazungula district.
Mr Zulu said the Council anticipates that there will be a lot of development taking place in Kazungula that would attract people to reside in the area hence the need to plan for accommodation in advance.
Mr. Zulu said plot owners should therefore speed up the process of developing their plots to cushion the challenge of accommodation which the area was currently experiencing and take advantage of the incoming construction works earmarked to take place in Kazungula.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Minister of Health Chitalu Chilufya is expected at a ground breaking ceremony to launch the construction of Kazungula District Hospital on Saturday this week.
Mr Zulu said the district hospital will be the first of its kind in the area and will see more people flocking to Kazungula to seek jobs.
Mr. Zulu also added that another ground breaking ceremony is scheduled early this year for the construction of a multi-billion Kazungula bridge across the Zambezi River to pave way for construction works.
Meanwhile, the Council Secretary has advised all the illegal settlers in Kazungula to immediately vacate the council land voluntarily before action is taken by the local authority.
Mr. Zulu said the illegal settlers are those people who got council plots through the village headmen who have no authority over the land.
He stressed the need for people to buy plots through the proper channel to avoid unnecessary trouble.
The Council Secretary added that people should not be deceived to get land from the village headmen who are not the owners of the land because it would be very difficult for them to claim ownership.