By JOHN SAKALA
The Chingola Municipal Council says there are unscrupulous individuals who are selling land meant for commercial and residential purposes to unsuspecting members of the public.
Chingola Municipal Council Public Relations Officer Ramona Phiri said the Council would not be held liable for any loss of money which may result from such illegal transactions.
Ms Phiri said the Council would equally not hesitate to bring to book anyone involved in the illegalities because the local authority is the sole land administrator in the district.
She said so far, the Council with the help of other law enforcement agencies, has apprehended a group of individuals who were suspected to be behind the illegal demarcation and selling of land in Chingola South area, and are awaiting court processes.
“It is worrisome that some devious individuals are swindling unsuspecting members of the public out of their money. Moreover, most of the areas in which these land illegalities are taking place were already offered to successful applicants. Hence, the council has since instituted a team comprising of national security wings to clamp down on those involved in illegal land allocation in the district.
“Further, the Council hereby urges all those who have been sold land by unscrupulous people in areas such as the Kasompe Airstrip, Chingola South, Luano Forest Reserve, Gymkhana, and the Central Cemetery, to immediately stop all development activities and claim their money from those they transacted with if no genuine papers were issued,” she said.
She said the general public must also be aware that the Kasompe Airstrip, Central Cemetery, and Luano Forest Reserve areas have not been planned or offered by the council to anyone because they are restricted areas meaning they not meant for any commercial or residential settlements.
Ms Phiri said as such anyone that has been sold land in the aforementioned areas must stop and desist from any form of construction on these areas.
“As a way to mitigate this problem, the Chingola Local Authority has since instituted a Land and Buildings Survey Team to carry out inspections on all land developments in the District.
“Therefore, all those constructing without prior approval from the Council risk their buildings being demolished, and will be prosecuted as provided in the Urban and Regional Planning Act, 2015 of the Laws of Zambia,” she said.
