Concerned citizens, students petition President Chakwera over illegal sell of school land in Zomba

Students from Chilunga Community Day Secondary school, chiefs, teachers and some members of Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC)  on Thursday defied authorities order not to protest but went ahead to demonstrate against Zomba City Council decision to sell part of their school land.

They held peaceful demonstrations from Chilunga CDSS to the office of Zomba  District Commissioner where they presented the petition to President Lazarus Chakwera on alleged illegal sell of land.

The students and other members of community are demanding the district council to rescind its decision to sell some land in the district.

It is alleged that the city council authorities sold about 2.5 hectares of land that  belongs to Chilunga CDSS without following proper procedures.

One of the board members for Chilunga CDSS Yona Kalaundi the land was given to the school 2001 but in 2015, the city council started selling the land to individuals.

“Our wish is to have the whole land returned to the school because the city has been playing delay tactics on the issue to allow individuals to complete their projects on the school land,’ said Kalaundi.

Students for Chilunga CDSS demanded immediate removal of corrupt city council officials who sell plots for their personal benefits saying such leadership is not what the country needs.

They have further appealed to the Ant Corruption Bureau (ACB) to investigate and take action on the matter.

Senior Chief Mlumbe said time has come for city council to surrender the whole land to the school saying presence of chiefs during demonstrations shows that they are angry at what Zomba city council did.

“We chiefs work hand in hand with government during Implementation of all projects. What the city did on selling the land which we gave to government for the school is really bad,” said chief Mlumbe.

Mlumbe said chiefs in collaboration with all concerned citizens will continue giving pressure to city authorities until the land is returned back to the school.

Village head Ndiyesamwana and group village headman Chikanda said chiefs are very tired of the behaviour by some council officials for not priotizing rights of education for the Malawian children.

District Commissioner for Zomba Dr Smart Gwedemula, who received the petition,  promised to send it to President Chakwera through relevant authorities.

Gwedemula, however,  advised petitioners to be following procedures when conducting such demonstrations.

He further urged them to continue maintaning  peace in the district.

Previously, the  city council sold 2.4 hactres to individuals but returned 1.2 hactres to the school.

Through resolution made by the council during previous full council meeting, they agreed to allocate another land in exchange to the sold land to the school but the school demanding the same land in which the council sold to individuals for construction of the hostel.