The construction of Luangeni shopping mall in Chipata has hit a snag.

Construction of what promises to be the biggest shopping mall in Chipata district has stalled.
Proprietor, Liver Tembo confirmed to Breeze News that he has failed to start the construction works because he has not yet been offered a title deed, despite making payments to the council in February this year.
Mr. Tembo says that despite having secured funds for the construction of the shopping mall, he cannot go ahead without the title deeds.
He says that all the tenants have been secured for the mall but progress has stalled due to the non-availability of the title deed.
And when contacted for comment, Chipata Municipal Council Town Clerk Davies Musenge says that it was up to the Ministry of Lands to issue out the title deeds.
But when contacted, Provincial Lands Officer, Muzumayi Masheta says that to the contrary, the Lands Department has been waiting for the council to submit a recommendation letter to his office before they can go ahead to process the deeds.
Mr. Masheta says that as per requirement, his office cannot go ahead and issue out title deeds without a recommendation from the council.
He says that the council has been engaged on a number of occasions but that to date, the recommendation letter has not been done.
This is the second shopping mall project, which has stalled in Chipata following the local authority’s decision to stop construction works of a shopping mall opposite Great East Mall.