Mutharika’s land directive: Chipungu kicks off Nantipwiri Farm allocation

Hundreds of Malawian families are set to receive long-awaited plots of farmland after Lands Minister Chimwemwe Chipungu personally joined officials on the ground today to launch a major land distribution exercise, fulfilling a direct order from President Arthur Peter Mutharika.

The minister was in Thyolo and Blantyre on Friday to kick-start the allocation of the Nantipwiri Farm Valley land to 401 beneficiaries from the areas of Traditional Authorities Bvumbwe and Kapeni, marking a significant milestone for communities who have waited for the redistribution.

As a symbolic first step, officials handed over 25 plots to beneficiaries on the day, with each recipient allocated a 35-metre by 35-metre piece of land earmarked strictly for agricultural use.

Speaking at the event, Chipungu urged beneficiaries to remain patient as the wider exercise gets under way, acknowledging that land allocation can be a delicate and sometimes contentious process.

“I strongly urged the beneficiaries to remain patient throughout the land distribution process, as land matters can sometimes be sensitive and may give rise to disputes,” Chipungu said.

“It is therefore important that the process is handled carefully, fairly, and transparently to ensure that all eligible beneficiaries are treated equitably.”

The minister said the initiative represented a crucial step in giving affected families genuine access to land for farming, offering hope of improved livelihoods for hundreds of households.

“This exercise marks an important step towards ensuring that the affected people have access to land for agricultural production and improved livelihoods,” he said.

Chipungu reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring the remainder of the exercise is carried out fairly and transparently as it continues in the coming weeks.

“We remain committed to ensuring that the land allocation process is conducted in a fair, transparent, and orderly manner for the benefit of all eligible beneficiaries,” he said.