Chakwera says Malawi has  ‘crisis of greed, lawlessness’:  Orders review of land laws

President Lazarus Chakwera on Wednesday told parliament that the country is facing a “crisis of greed” and “lawlessness” which  is affecting the land management and  has ordered a  review of all land  law enacted  by the previous regime in 2017 which he blamed to contribute to the crises.

During his second session of Question Time to the President, Chakwera observed that the land management system is “broken.”

He said: “ We have a crisis of greed.

“We  have a crisis of lawlessness how people are encroaching the land that they have not acquired legally. Our land management system is broken.
Chakwera said its time to be reforming land laws and enforcing them.

“I am directing the Ministry of Land to  review all land laws to address the flaws in the legislation and those laws must be ready for amendment at the next sitting of  the House,” he said.

Chakwera was responding  to a question from Chitipa South member of parliament (MP) Werani Chilenga (Democratic Progressive Party -DPP) who wanted to know what the President’s administration , ushered in office through the court-ordered June 23 Fresh Presidential Election, will do to ensure that contentious issues on land-related laws are sorted out.

Chilenga reminded Chakwera that while serving as Leader of Opposition in 2017 he led MPs in the opposition bloc to walk out of Parliament in protest over some provisions in the land laws.

The President said the land laws which were passed have been problematic hence calling for a review.

“I will see to it that the pilot phase of the land reforms implementation is completed before the end of the year so that the lessons from the process inform the low process,” he said.

Chakwera further said that consultations are “underway” on the three contentious issues ; sale of land to foreigners, existence of freehold land and the piece of legislation on customary land.

“These are issues that are close to me,” he said.

The Malawi leader specifically cited the Registered Land Act, Forestry Act, Local Government Act, Public Road Act and Malawi Housing Act as the laws to be reviewed.

He said several stakeholders  including some traditional leaders have complained about the  land laws mostly due to inadequate consultations hence the need to sanitise the land administration process in the country which is fraught with corruption.

Responding to a question from  Mulanje Bale MP Victor Musowa (Democratic Progressive Party-DPP) on government’s policy to  old buildings lying in prime areas in cities, Chakwera attributed this to some mistaken view that democracy means no respect of law of authority.

“We must do what is right for this nation. We do have plans; let our cities become beautiful cities. This is our country and we need to be proud of our cities. Let our cities follow the necessary legislation and laws” he said

He further stated that issues of land ownership in Thyolo and other places need to be followed to enable the locals own estates through the sale of shares and urged investors to come to Malawi.

Chakwera also disclosed that he has held meetings with leader of the Peoples Land Organisation (PLO) Vincent Wandale over land matters before he became Head of State and recently while at Plot Number 1.