By Mcloyd Chilangiza:
The Malawi Government’s plan to relocate more than 367 households displaced from Kasasile in Nkhata Bay District to Maji Estate in Mzimba District has faced resistance from the affected families.
The government has identified more than 600 hectares at Maji Estate, under Traditional Authority Mpherembe, Mzimba District, for the resettlement of the families.
Under the arrangement, the government will allocate plots to the affected families from October 5 to 10 and will erect tents at the site within the same month.
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Speaking during an engagement meeting with the affected families, State Second Vice President Enock Chihana said the government had secured the land and would provide each family with about 1.5 hectares.
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He said the government would also provide social and economic support, including cash transfers, subsidised farm inputs, boreholes and schools to cater to the needs of the families.
“Over 600 hectares have been identified and, very soon, people will be moving there to settle.
“Apart from them settling, the government has offered almost one-and-a-half hectares for each family,” he said.
However, chairperson for the affected residents, Lucky Botha, said the families were not adequately consulted before the new resettlement arrangement was made.
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He said the families would not move to the new site because they had not been compensated for their damaged property.
documentation
“We are not very happy with this arrangement,” he said.
Lands, Housing and Urban Planning Minister Chimwemwe Chipungu said the government would facilitate the relocation while urging Malawians to verify land ownership and documentation before making payments.
He said government audits had uncovered cases of land being fraudulently allocated or sold to multiple people, which had aggravated land disputes between communities.
“It is my plea that, on any land issues, get proper documentation and verify first before you pay,” Chipungu said.
The Kasasile land dispute dates back to 2018, when Malawi Defence Force (MDF) soldiers retraced the land that was being used by the communities as their firing range.
In 2024, the High Court sitting in Mzuzu granted ownership of the disputed land to the MDF.
Following the eviction, the affected families initially sought shelter at a church in neighbouring Mzimba District before being moved to temporary tents, where they have lived for more than two years.
The families had earlier marched to Lilongwe to press the government to resolve their long-running land dispute, saying previous assurances had not addressed their concerns.
