Minister of Lands and Natural Resources Elijah Muchima says local people are the reason behind the escalating number of foreigners owning a huge percentage of prime land compared to indigenous Zambians.
Speaking in an interview with the Zambian Business Times-ZBT, Muchima explained that local people are selling their pieces of land to foreigners and sometimes, foreigners are using Zambians to acquire land.
The Minister added that some foreigners have formed companies and are having those companies registered under the names of Zambian individuals, which is making it easy for the foreigners to acquire land noting that various ways are used to acquire land by foreigners.
Muchima noted that it is unfortunate that when an individual owns land, they cannot be told what to do with the land or whom they can sell it to adding that local people are aware of the consequences of selling most of the land in the country to foreigners but they are too hungry for money.
He mentioned that there is a law in place that disadvantages foreigners from owning land therefore, they can only own land in Zambia under the signature of the President or recommendations under the office of Lands and Natural Resources Ministry.
“It takes a few weeks but it is a procedure because it has to go to state house, the president has to be satisfied”, he said
Muchima has since urged Zambians to guard their lands because once land is gone it is difficult to claim it back.
