REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA
MINISTRY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
PRESS STATEMENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
15TH FEBRUARY, 2023
MINISTER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MEMBERS OF THE PRESS.
GOOD MORNING!
I WELCOME YOU ALL TO THE MINISTRY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT. I ALSO WISH TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR RELENTLESS EFFORT TO ENSURE THAT OUR CITIZENS ARE INFORMED AND SENSITIZED ON MATTERS OF DEVELOPMENT. INDEED, THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA, UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF HIS EXCELLENCY PRESIDENT MR. HAKAINDE HICHILEMA WILL CONTINUE TO WORK AND ENSURE THAT WE BRING DEVELOPMENT TO OUR PEOPLE WHILST UPHOLDING THE RULE OF LAW AT ALL TIMES.
THIS INCLUDES THE MANNER IN WHICH LOCAL AUTHORITIES UNDER MY MINISTRY ADMINISTER AFFAIRS UNDER THEIR CHARGE INCLUDING LAND ADMINISTRATION
MEMBERS OF THE PRESS AND THE PUBLIC, FOLLOWING ALLEGATIONS OF ILLEGALITIES AND DISORDERLY ALLOCATION OF LAND AT KAFUE TOWN COUNCIL, I INVOKED MY POWER PRESCRIBED UNDER SECTION 56(1)(B) OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT NO. 2 OF 2019 OF THE LAWS OF ZAMBIA AND I SUSPENDED THE OPERATIONS OF KAFUE TOWN COUNCIL ON 4THNOVEMBER, 2022 THROUGH STATUTORY INSTRUMENT NO. 71 OF 2022. FURTHER, I APPOINTED MR. ABEL SIWAKWI A PUBLIC OFFICER AS LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATOR TO OVERSEE THE OPERATIONS OF THE LOCAL AUTHORITY UNDER THE FOLLOWING TERMS OF REFERENCE AMONG OTHERS;
a) FACILITATE POLICY AND DECISION MAKING OF THE COUNCIL
b) INVESTIGATIONS INTO ALLEGED ILLEGAL ALLOCATION OF LAND
PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATIONS WERE CONCLUDED ON 4TH FEBRUARY 2023. FINDINGS OF THE PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATIONS POINT TO NUMEROUS IRREGULARITIES IN LAND ADMINISTRATION INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING:
• DOUBLE ALLOCATION OF PLOTS
• LACK OF TRANSPARENCY IN LAND ADMINISTRATION AS GUIDED BY CIRCULAR NO. 1 OF 2015 WHICH REQUIRES THE ISSUANCE OF PLOTS TO BE PUBLICLY ADVERTISED.
• ALLOCATION OF LAND WITHOUT FOLLOWING PROCEDURE
• USE OF UNAUTHORIZED PERSON TO DO LAY OUT PLANS
• LACK OF DATABASE FOR LAND UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE LOCAL AUTHORITY
IN VIEW OF THE FOREGOING, MY MINISTRY WILL UNDERTAKE MEASURES TO ENSURE THAT ALL THE ABOVE IRREGULARITIES ARE ADDRESSED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. SOME OF THE MEASURES WILL INCLUDE ENSURING CLOSE COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE KAFUE TOWN COUNCIL AND THE MINISTRY OF LANDS AND NATURAL RESOURCES TO HARMONIZE THE ISSUANCE OF PLOTS TO THE CITIZENS. FURTHER, MY MINISTRY THROUGH THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT SERVICE COMMISSION WILL TAKE APPROPRIATE MEASURES OF ANY MEMBER OF STAFF WHO WILL BE FOUND WANTING IN THE IRREGULAR ISSUANCE OF PLOTS IN KAFUE.IN THE MEANTIME, PURSUANT TO SECTION 56 (3) OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT NO. 2 OF 2019 OF THE LAWS OF ZAMBIA, I HEREBY LIFT THE SUSPENSION OF KAFUE TOWN COUNCIL WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT
IN LIGHT OF THE FORGOING, I WISH TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ISSUE A STERN WARNING TO ALL COUNCILS, THAT MY MINISTRY WILL NOT HESITATE TO PROSECUTE ANY ILLEGALITIES AND PENALIZE ANYONE FOUND WANTING
HAVING SAID THIS, I WISH TO CONVEY MY UTMOST GRATITUDE TO THE ADMINISTRATOR MR. ABEL SIWAKWI FOR HIS DEDICATION IN EXECUTING THE DUTIES BESTOWED ON HIM AS ADMINISTRATOR AND INDEED, THE COMMUNITY FOR THEIR CO-OPERATION AND SUPPORT RENDERED DURING THIS PERIOD.
I THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS ZAMBIA/ NATION.
ISSUED BY:
HON. MP. MR. GARY NKOMBO