By SYLVESTER MWALE –

A ROW has erupted between settlers in Clixby Estates in Kafue District and the United Church of Zambia (UCZ) over the annual payment of K400 as land rates to the church.
Some settlers say that the continued collection of the money as land rates by the church is illegal as such tax could only be paid to the Ministry of Lands and not to a  third party.
UCZ general secretary Peggy Kabonde told individual settlers in the area popularly known as Kasaka that failure to pay the land fees every year would force the church to repossess the land.
Dr Kabonde recently wrote to some individuals that the church would be forced to repossess the pieces of land whose owners were failing to pay the K400 as land rates.
“The church has noted with dismay that you have not been remitting the Kasaka land fees of K400 per year,” said Dr Kabonde in her letter to one of the settlers.
“To assist you and the church, Synod Office has authorised Mr Kasanga to be collecting these fees on behalf of the office. Mr Kasanga has been given a receipt book and he shall issue you with a receipt each time you make this payment.
“Failure to do so, the church will be left with no other option but to repossess the land from you due to non-payment of land fees.”
UCZ administrative secretary Rodgers Ng’ambi said when contacted during the week that the settlers are on lease hence the need for them to pay the rates to the church.
“I would like to clarify that all the legal tenants of the mission land are on lease and therefore they cannot pay rates to the State but to the land lord who in this case is the UCZ who have the obligation to pay rates,” Mr Ng’ambi said.
“Suffice to mention that a good number of the settlers especially those near the Kafue Bridge are illegal settlers.”
He said the church petitioned the High court which ruled in its favour and ordered for their eviction but the church found an alternative land near Kafue Water Works where to resettle them.
Mr Ng’ambi warned that those that have refused to move to the alternative land would be forcibly removed.
According to one of the affected residents who refused to be named, the K400 that the church was asking the settlers was too high for most of the people.