Ministry Urges Land Registration to Protect Ownership, Prevent Illegal Sales
The Ministry of Lands appeals to leaders to encourage land registration to prevent illegal sales and protect ownership rights.
DOWA, MALAWI — The Department of Physical Planning in the Ministry of Lands has called on chiefs, political leaders, and religious leaders to promote land registration in order to prevent illegal sales and protect ownership rights, writes Vincent Gunde.
The Ministry has implemented a new customary land law to address the issue of illegal land sales.
The law aims to protect landowners and ensure that they have legal ownership of their land.
Tapika Mwafulirwa, the Department's Senior Planner, emphasised the importance of registering land to claim ownership and receive certificates.
Mwafulirwa expressed concern over the high percentage of land in urban centres that has been sold illegally to foreigners, leaving the original owners displaced.
He assured the public that the new law will prevent foreigners from acquiring land and will empower citizens to have ownership rights.
Addressing fears that the new law would impose taxes on landowners, Mwafulirwa clarified that the law is designed to protect individual ownership and does not require landowners to pay taxes.
Under the new customary land law, landowners have the right to sublease their land for a period of 10 years.
However, Mwafulirwa emphasised that this does not mean the land can be sold, as ownership still resides with the individual who holds the certificate.
Mwafulirwa cited the success of land registration activities in the area of Traditional Authority Mwansambo in Nkhotakota, where communities have expressed gratitude for the protection of their land.
The Senior Planner expressed hope that the benefits of land registration would extend to the communities in Dowa, emphasising the shared culture and traditions between the people of Dowa and Nkhotakota.
He encouraged all Malawians to participate in the land registration process, emphasising the importance of protecting land for future generations.
With the implementation of the new customary land law, the Ministry of Lands aims to prevent illegal land sales, protect ownership rights, and ensure the security of land for all citizens.
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