Chiefs clash with subjects over land sale to Indian investor
Communities in the area of Chief Malemia in Nsanje have turned down a proposal by their traditional leaders to sale their customary land to an Indian investor, Nyasa Limited.
The communities have faulted Senior Chief Malemia among other traditional leaders for secretly masterminding the selling of their land to the company which intends to open Mango and Banana plantations without their knowledge.
Concerned people who spoke to Malawi News Agency said the traditional leaders are abusing their powers as customary land cannot be sold without consulting their subjects.
“We were surprised to hear that there is an Indian investor who wants to establish Mango and Banana plantations on our customary land. We hear that the investor has been conniving with our traditional leaders including Senior Chief Malemia to buy 500 to 1000 hectares of our land for the project.
“Imagine, they started demarcating the land earmarked for selling without our knowledge. Our chiefs jumped the gun because we were supposed to be consulted from the word go other than seeing our land being demarcated,” said the source (name shielded).
According to the people, letting the land go would be disastrous as they rely on the very land for agricultural activities.
“We cannot afford to lose our land since it is a source of food for most people in Nsanje,” concluded the one of the concerned people.
Member of Parliament for the area Dr. Joseph Chidanti said he is equally concerned that the process regarding the selling of the land started at high level at the expense of the local people who own the land.
“As stipulated by the country’s Customary Land Laws, the owners of land are the ones that make final decision as far as the selling of the land is concerned.
“I personally met the concerned people on the matter and what transpired is that the move has been rejected. This means that the land will not be sold as it is their source of livelihood,” said Dr Chidanti.
Senior Chief Malemia declined to comment on the matter claiming that there is somebody who is distorting the issue whom he did not disclose.–Mana
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ife kuno ku nsanje takonzeka kumenya nkhondo ndi agalu amenewa koz tatopa nawo asatitenge ngat opusa, chidanti, malemia kmanxo nonse mukupanga zopusanu, malo sianu bwanj osakasaka malo anu nkugulitsa shupit.
we gonna 4 our own land.
we are ready to shed our blood for this land!
My hero Hon Dr Joseph Chidanti Malunga. Siding with the pipo that elected u. Not gready chief Malemia. Yes we need investors but NOT land grabbers taking advantage of weak land laws.
There is also talk of similar thing in Monkey Bay…with TA Nankumba being the one selling his chiefs villages to the “Mota-Evil”, the Porteguese company that has been paying salaries for our government. They are telling people that they should move to the mountains from their beautiful lake. Imagine our own people chasing the poor from the pristine parts of our beautiful land to live with hyenas in the mountains. We, all Malawians, should wake up. What is happening in our country is a wake up call for everyone. We need to protect our country and let those that are… Read more »
abwana lero kuli illove.source of income and employement to locals.social cooporate responsibility.our president is travelling and inviting investors.so we have stupid mps like chidanthi dont want development.he is in irrigation.what has he brot to the pipo..malemia is a hero..
Cry my beloved Malawi,you have reached that level of corruption? Land is the most precious possession Our God the Almighty gave to his creatures on earth not only to human beings.To reach that height,where did the Chief get such powerful decisions to sell the land that belongs from time immemorial,to Africans (Malawians)? Africans,Wakeup.Without land,there is no life for every living things.China,India and Pakistan are the most populated nations on our planet and indeed they are as well,also the most corrupt creatures.They are all over the planet these rats,you give them a loophole,you are swallowed by a huge billow and you… Read more »
If we are not careful, future Malawians will find that the whole of Malawi is owned by foreigners. We have to learn from the predicament of the landless masses in Thyolo and Mulanje.
The few officials and politician including Peter who are in the forefront of giving poor peoples land to foreigners in the name of investment while getting bribes, have themselves secured lots of land for their children and great grand children.
Good leaders would help poor people invest on there own land.
Samalani aMalawi ana anu azalila ndiukapolo pansi paanthu okudza.
Chidanti is the one behind the whole saga anayamba kale-kale he very close to Thabalaba. Kungoti Malemia ndiokonda ndalama so Chidanti asaname he is in it.
Mmwenyea thabalala afuna ajale manga na mafigu mbuto yathu. Tinataila tayi, manga na mafigu anatipindulilanji ife. Angagulakwene mbuto yenewo angajala miti yacheyo namosiku kwenda tonsene kaibulusa. Iye Malemia nde anachita tepo. Ofunika kumutchunyusa mmwenye weneyo.
Kugulitsa malo okhala ndi olima ndi chithu choipa moyo wanga chimene anthu ambiri saganizira maka mtsogolo la moyo wawo. Chinaso kuti kufuna kuti adzakhala a kapolo a malo omwe anagulitsa pomakagwira nthangata kwa amalonda akugula malo awowo. Tiyeni tichepese khalidwe limeneli.
It is Chidanti who is playing double standards. Chidanti is the one who introduced the investors to Senior Chief Malemia