Minister Chipungu vows to publish list of ‘big people’ behind illegal land grabs

Lands Minister Chimwemwe Chipungu has dropped an explosive warning that several sitting Cabinet ministers and other politically exposed individuals are suspected of dubiously acquiring plots in two of Lilongwe’s most sought-after residential areas.

Speaking to reporters Wednesday morning, Chipungu revealed he was already in possession of a list of names – including what he pointedly described as “big people” – implicated in irregular land allocations across Area 3 and Area 10 in the capital.

The minister issued an emphatic promise that the list would be made public in newspapers imminently, refusing to shy away from naming senior political figures regardless of their seniority or standing.

‘Take my word – this will be published. I have the list,’ Chipungu declared, insisting the very fact his ministry had undertaken the audit exercise in the first place demonstrated its genuine determination to improve transparency in land administration.

He went further still, doubling down on his commitment to full disclosure despite the inevitable political sensitivity surrounding such a move.

‘Mark my words, this will be made public,’ Chipungu said.

‘We have nothing to hide.’

The minister’s remarks represent one of the most direct public warnings yet delivered by a sitting government official against senior colleagues, coming amid growing public frustration over transparency failures elsewhere in government, including the stalled parliamentary probe into the K128 billion Amaryllis Hotel purchase and continued questions over undisclosed presidential travel costs.

Should the promised list materialise as pledged, it threatens to trigger a significant political storm within government ranks, with ministers, judges and MPs all reportedly among those implicated in the land ownership audit findings first revealed ahead of a scheduled ministry press briefing this week.