Govt denies claims of allocating land meant for vulnerable Zambians to foreigners

The government has denied accusations that it is allocating land intended for vulnerable Zambians to foreigners through resettlement schemes.

Mavis Nkomeshya, Permanent Secretary – Resettlement in the Office of the President, dismissed these claims as “serious but completely unfounded and misleading.”

In a statement issued in Lusaka on Tuesday, Nkomeshya clarified that only Zambians were eligible to apply for land under the resettlement schemes.

“The government’s commitment remains steadfast in ensuring that Zambians, especially the vulnerable and marginalized, are allowed to benefit from these initiatives,” she stated.

Nkomeshya added that on July 9, 2024, the government issued a public notice in a local publication, inviting eligible Zambians to apply for land in various resettlement schemes across the country.

“An estimated 3,750 hectares of land has been set aside for this exercise, which is expected to benefit 1,000 eligible Zambians. This will bring the estimated number of beneficiaries under the resettlement programme to approximately 57,000 since 1988,” she mentioned.

Nkomeshya also noted that only 30 percent of the land was advertised in Muchinga, Northern and Luapula provinces.

“We urge the public to disregard these false claims and rely on verified information,” she added.

WARNING! All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express permission from ZAMBIA MONITOR.