By Solister Mogha
Zomba, Mana: Sub-Traditional Authority Nkapita of Zomba has urged his subjects to consider registering their land for maximum security.
Nkapita made the appeal on Monday when he held a development meeting with his people at Mtungulisi Primary School.
He said it is about time for Malawians to register their customary land as proposed by the government in its new land policy.
Nkapita said land is a precious asset which must be properly managed and protected.
“In the new land policy, government is encouraging people to own their land. This will apart from safeguarding the land also reduce cases of land grabbing, land disputes and also relocations without proper compensation,” he said.
Sub-T/A Nkapita said registration of the customary land would also reduce gender based violence especially in instances where a man or woman is chased out of the land.
Sub TA Nkapita urges his subjects to register land. Pic Solister Mogha (Mana)
Nkapita, however, urged fellow traditional leaders to sensitize their subjects about the advantages of registering their land.
“We also hope that once people register their customary land, we would reduce cases of huge pieces of land being sold to foreigners. We really need to protect the future generation,” he said.
Yamikani Chikuse of the same area hailed the chief for taking a board step of informing his subjects about the benefits of registering their land.
Chikuse said despite hearing about the policy, many people were reluctant because they thought it is the government’s plan to repossess the land.
“Since our chief has spoken, we will take this opportunity to register our land,” Chikuse said.
Malawi Government through the Ministry of Lands has since 2020 been encouraging people to register their customary land as one way of protecting the pieces of land from unnecessary land grabbing and disputes.