Thirty- six families occupying former Road Board houses in Chipata have complained of unfair treatment from government.
Speaking to Breeze News, the residents say that government offered them to buy the houses in 2003 but up to now nothing has been done to facilitate the process.
Group Representative Chisulo Phiri says that this has resulted in the residents staying without access to water supply and electricity.
Mr. Phiri says that Eastern Water and Sewerage Company and ZESCO have refused to offer them their services because they do not legally own the houses.
He complained that efforts to get the office of the permanent secretary and the ruling PF in Eastern Province to intervene in the matter have yielded nothing.
But when contacted, Eastern Province Permanent Secretary, Chanda Kasolo said that he was aware of the issue and that a committee was set up to write a report on the houses.
Mr. Kasolo stated that he was still waiting for the report adding that the houses will eventually be sold to the sitting tenants.