By RABECCA CHIPANTA –

. Kambwili

THE Government has promised to find alternative land for more than 70 displaced farmers of Muza Hill in Roan Constituency.
Roan Member of Parliament, Chishimba Kambwili said the Government had identified alternative land for them.
Mr Kambwili said this when he addressed the displaced farmers yesterday.
The farmers were displaced after a Chinese investor acquired the land with title deeds on which the farmers had settled.
Mr Kambwili urged the farmers to abide by the law and acquire land legally to avoid being displaced by the rightful owners of the land.
“Squatters should stop this habit of settling on land that they find. This country is governed by laws which need to be followed. Government does not allow people to just settle on land they find without papers and in future they start complaining, saying I am a Zambian and I am entitled to this land,” the minister said.
He counselled the farmers and advised them to be an example to foreigners and not be unruly when it came to issues of land.
“As citizens, you should be the ones to lead by example by following rules that govern the nation and promote foreigners to emulate. Government will help you but I am not encouraging you as this is illegal and it must be stopped. If you want land, we have legal ways in which you can acquire it,” Mr Kambwili said.
He urged those in authority to educate and sensitise people on the correct procedure of acquiring land.
“These Chinese you are accusing of victimisation have papers. But even if they have papers, since they were given this land they have not done anything on it but holding on to it which will not be allowed. We will follow up this issue with them to establish how they acquired this land and see what has been done on it so far. If they fail to convince us as Government that they can develop this land, we shall get part of it and leave what they require,” Mr Kambwili said.