Nawena in land dispute, defies court order
Former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Member of Parliament for Thyolo Thabva Lilfred Nawena has defied the High court order to hand over piece of land he grabbed from a woman in his constituency and has insisted he owns the land.
The High Court in Blantyre on 4th March this year ordered Nawena to stop farming or running any activity on the disputed piece of land which is located in sub-tradition Khwethemule in Thyolo district. According to the court, the land belongs to Ellen Nkhweliwa who had dragged the legislator to court.
In an interview Nawena claimed to have not received the court ruling on the issue and feigned ignorance when asked if, at all, he knew Nkhwelina.
“I don’t know that woman and I have not heard anything pertaining to court ruling. And I cannot comment anything on issues concerning that piece of land because as far as I know I don’t know any woman by that name,” Nawena said who seemed irate about the whole issue.
But Nkhweliwa claimed Nawena was just trying to play a mind game on the issue and that he once defied a ruling by local traditional authorities on the same dispute.
“What forced me to seek court assistance on the issue is on how the MP is acting towards the whole issue. The traditional chiefs have tried to resolve the issue but every time the case is being ruled in my favor Nawena refuses to buy that,” lamented Nkhweliwa.
And Sub-traditional Khwethemula claimed in a separate interview Nawena was aware of the high court ruling, saying he was the one who delivered the court documents to him.
“I don’t know what he is trying to achieve because we as chiefs have tried to resolve the issue before the high court but Nawena is taking the issue as trash. That land as far am concerned belongs to that woman and there is more proof to that only that the MP is one stuck up head,” Khwethemula said.
Nawena has been making headlines ever since he joined politics. And in Parliament he seemed to be on contrary side with his former party as he chose to voice out his sentiments without fear of reprisal the development that forced the party to fire him along side other controversial MPs.
If Nawena fails to abide by the court ruling, he risks facing jail term.
