By CHATULA KAMPO –
LUANSHYA District Commissioner Harold Mbaulu says the demarcation of farm blocks in Maposa on the Copperbelt is waiting for the issuance of a statutory Instrument (SI).
In may this year, Government revoked the allocation of more than 1000 farm plots by the resettlement department saying it was not done in a transparent manner.
The majority of the land in the areas was given to working people from city leaving out the squatters that had settled on the land for many years.
Government had allowed the more than 6,000 hectors of forest area in Luanshya to be de-gazetted into zones A, B,C, and D, and be demarcated into farm plots for the local people.
Mr Mbaulu said in an interview during the week that the demarcation of farm blocks would start as soon as the statutory instrument is approved.
He said the local people would be the first to be allocated the land they had been squatting on for many years.
“The demarcation of farming blocks in Maposa B is awaiting a statutory Instrument. We will give the farmers permanent land as soon as the SI is approved and when when money for demarcations is given. The farm blocks in the area were revoked because farms were given to people outside Maposa,” he said.
Mr Mbaulu added each family and all their children above the age of 18 would be sold 20 hectors each at a cost of K50 to be paid in two installments.
He sad part of the land would be sold to the public and use the money to empower farmers.