Government denies K54 million per hectare compensation: ‘DPP lied’

Government has denied rumours K 54 million compensation package per hectare as promised Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to the people of Magwero in Lilongwe as it was a political campaign tactic.

The Minister of Lands, Kezzie Msukwa said that sometimes politicians do not tell people the truth with the intentions of winning people’s hearts.

He said it better to tell voters the truth because the truth sets people free.

‘’I consulted the former Minister of Lands and asked him if he promised that they will give people K 54 million per hectare, the former Minister denied,’’ Msukwa told the gathering.

He said that what has happened in area was that during the last regime as a country was going towards the election the former Minister of Lands came and promised people to do compensations which were not in line with the law.

He added that whenever the officers came to survey the place were being chased away and stoned off because the people in Magwero need compensations which were excessive

‘’People were promised K 54 million per hectare which is neither here nor there, therefore, we came to tell people the truth to pacify the area so that our officers can starting developing the place and doing the assessment so that they can give them the compensations that are really due to them was the major essence,’’ the Minister added.

He said that they came to correct the mistake and the wrong information which was made by the past regime so that the chiefs can tell the truth to their subject.

Member of Parliament for Lilongwe City Centre, Alfred Jiya said that the former Minister of Lands, Symon Vuwa Kaunda told the people that they are supposed to receive K 54 million per hectare.

‘’When he told us that I went to read the constitution on Malawi and went to the Act which talks about land which was signed by Kamuzu Banda but I never found that K 54 million per hectare.

“When I said I should go to the current Act which was signed by the former President, Peter Mutharika, I did not find that people are supposed to get K 54 million per hectare,’’ he said

Jiya said the constitution empowers the ministry of lands to deal with land according and in line with the law.

Minister of Information, Gospel Kazako said that the people should give the government time to develop the area and they should stop urging with the government over the issue of land.

He said that the government would compensate people in the area in line with the law but not the K54 million per hectare.

Malawi has allocated over 400 hectares of land to Malawi investment and trade Centre (MITC) in Magwero (Area 55) in Lilongwe.

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