Heated meeting on land kicks off in Thyolo

A heated meeting aimed at trying to address decades long land issues in Thyolo and Mulanje has kicked off in Thyolo.

Minister of Lands Kezzie Msukwa is meeting concerned citizens of Mulanje and Thyolo over the land issue.

He is meeting the concerned groups at Thyolo District Education Office.

The development follows calls by People’s Lands Organization and  Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiative (Cdedi) for President Lazarus Chakwera to intervene in land issues haunting Thyolo and Mulanje citizens.

However, Cded leader Silvester Namiwa insisted that Msukwa should visit the landless people first to appreciate what they are going through before the discussions.

Namiwa said he did not want to be party to a desk meeting.

But Msukwa said he is not ready to meet the people saying he knows their story.

Earlier the Minister of Lands visited part of Makandi Tea and Coffee Estate Land which is said to be encroached by the locals.

The communities are cultivating on the land apparently because they have no land for farming.