By Memory Chatonda:
Ministry of Lands has emphasized on the need to put in place regulations to guide the operation of the newly amended land laws to serve Malawians better.
In March this year, Parliament passed six amended land bills such as Land Survey, Physical Planning, Registered Land, Land Acquisition and Compensation as well as Customary Land.
Speaking during southern region stakeholders’ consultation meeting on regulation of the amended land laws on Tuesday in Blantyre, Acting Commissioner for Physical Planning in the Ministry, Lobin Lukasi said: “In the draft of the amended customary land regulation, we are looking at certain clauses to do with appointments of the customary land committee, dispute resolutions and also establishment of customary land committee.”
“We want to enforce such regulations in order to ensure that there is equal allocation of land resource to all Malawians regardless of status and also land disputes are resolved amicably,” Lukasi added.
Lukasi, who also chairs Land Laws Committee in the Ministry of Lands, expressed optimism that the consultation meeting will provide constructive inputs to enrich the process of revising various land regulations.
A representative of the academia from University of Malawi, Lecturer for Land Law, Criminal Procedure, Gender and Human Rights, Theresa Chome said it is high time that some of the clauses in the amended land laws such as customary land law need to be reviewed and be framed in accordance to the interest of every Malawian.
“We need to avoid scenarios where allocation of land is monopolized,” Chome said.
Chome, therefore, called for massive awareness of the newly amended land laws to ensure that communities effectively participate in any land related issues in their respective areas.
Chikwawa District Council Chief Administrative Officer, Leonard Mchombo said the regulations, particularly in customary land law would assist in resolving land related issues such as land ownership which Malawians have been complaining about.
The consultation meeting attracted officials from district councils, Malawi Institute of Physical Planning, academia and other professional bodies affiliated to the Ministry of Lands.
Similar meetings are expected to take place in the central and northern regions.
