Chiefs in Katete district have lamentably complained of the continued failure by Katete District Council to utilise the land offered to them by traditional leaders.
Speaking on behalf of other Chiefs, during a stakeholder’s consultative meeting on land policy, Chief Mbango’mbe said chiefs in the district have resolved not to offer any more land to the local authority until they fully utilise the land they were given years back.
The Chief said Katete District has enough land for development but is disappointed with the manner the district council has been handling the matter.
He cited portions of land given to government as land marked for a district hospital, LDF Land Development Fund plots, university of mathematics, and bus station among others.
He added that chiefs will soon begin repossessing any land that was offered to government but has remained idle for many years.
The Chiefs later submitted that they will in future consider giving their land on lease and not title as this will enable them check on how development is unfolding in their respective chiefdom.
Meanwhile Katete District Council Community Development Officer who represented the District Planning Officer Mabvuto Phiri said the local council was not the planning authority but was responsible for recommending land development approval to the Eastern Province Planning Authority.
Mr. Phiri said the delay in development on some portions of land like the LDF plots was as a result of the Ministry of Lands failure to produce all the 268 offer letters as the council only received 120.
He however accepted that the plots given under the LDF was un-serviced as the local council could only manage to put up a few roads.