Hospital, developers tussle over land
Bwaila District Hospital and Lilongwe District Council are tussling with people who are developing structures adjacent to the infirmary over land which the hospital claims as its own.
It has emerged that vehicles are struggling to gain access to the hospital following several constructions just after the gates of the hospital, a situation which hospital officials say is impeding delivery of medicines and patients brought on ambulances.
Lilongwe District Commissioner Lawfold Parani said the situation has encouraged vendors to also flock to the place.
He said they consulted Lilongwe City Council to intervene on the matter.
“The truth of the matter is the place belongs to Bwaila District Hospital, which is under the district council. Those people constructing were not given the place by council. I think there is a group of people who gave them the place who we may not know. But we gathered that Bishop [Abraham] Simama, who is also constructing there, was given the land by Ministry of Lands but the rest of them we don’t know who gave them access.”
“As it is, we are having problems for vehicles to enter with ease the hospital premises and we are negotiating with the Ministry of Lands on the same,” he said.
Lilongwe City Council spokesperson Tamara Chafunya said the developers have no approval from the council and it has issued a stop order to them.
The Daily Times’ visit to the place indicated that the developers are proceeding with construction.
“Firstly, you may wish to note that the land in question belongs to the Ministry of Health who are also concerned about the current developments taking place on the land. The developers have no approval from the council and are developing illegally which is also a major concern to us. If construction is still continuing, then the developers are defying our stop notice,” she said.
Bishop Simama said he acquired the land a long time ago and he has documents for the plot. He said people are mistaking his construction work with the people who are constructing next to his land.
He said he started constructing after noticing people were developing the land and encroaching on part of his land.
“Bwaila’s plot number is 2/533 and mine is 2/692. They are making a mistake because those people have encroached [on] next to where my plot ends and they are even getting part of my land. I also made a complaint, actually they forced me to borrow money to start constructing on the place for I hear people who are constructing there are party gurus constructing without any documents,” he said.
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