. MUTATI

By JAMES KUNDA –
FINANCE Minister Felix Mutati has clarified that traditional land is excluded from the National Land Titling Programme (NLTP) and the National Land Audit Programme (NLAP) launched in 2013 and 2015,
respectively.
Mr Mutati said the Government under the land titling exercise was piloting low-cost titling in selected parts of Lusaka Province and intends to fully roll the programme out to the rest of the region next year.
“It is however necessary to clarify that this land exercise is going to cover only statutory (leasehold) land that is permitted for titling under the statutes.
“Traditional (customary) land will not be part of the exercise as it governed under separate statutes,” Mr Mutati said.
This is according to a statement released in Lusaka yesterday by the Ministry of Finance head of media and public relations Chileshe Kandeta.
Mr Mutati said the key objectives of the land titling programme were to improve land tenure security, increase transparency in land acquisition and enhance revenue collection.
He said the land audit programme is aimed at taking stock of all land and its use.
Mr Mutati said the ministry would consistently provide clarity on the pronouncements, such as the land reforms contained in next year’s Budget, to ensure that stakeholders including the private sector, traditional leaders and the general public have correct understanding of the programmes.
“To ensure that Budget measures and structural reforms that were announced in the 2017 National Budget are well understood, it is necessary that the Government explains some of the measures contained therein to all stakeholders.
“This is to ensure that there is understanding of the measures that will in turn assure effective implementation,” Mr Mutati said.
He advised members of the public in need of clarification on the NLTP and NLAP to engage the ministries’ of Finance and Lands for aid.