The Week's Newspaper
| Katima top brass accused of sitting on prime land |
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| Thursday, 08 July 2010 09:23 | |||
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SOME Katima Mulilo property developers are up in arms against the town council and municipality for allocating land to prominent people who are delaying putting up permanent structures.
According to some business and property developers who spoke to Informanté, the municipality is failing to put up strict rules regarding land allocation and building after they established that most of the prospective tourist budding plots are owned by prominent national figures. The plots in question are Guinea Fowl Inn owned by Health Minister Richard Kamwi, Wooden Bridge Lodge owned Presidential Affairs minister Albert Kawana, and Businessman Ignatius Chunga who owns a plot in Katima Mulilo business district. Former Caprivi Regional Raymond Matiti owns a residential plot in the Boma Location. The property developers alleged that the municipality is failing to address the need for business land that could benefit the town adding that some of the prominent people have owned the land for more than 11 years. “How can one be so selfish and own a plot for so many years without building or setting up a structure to benefit the town if not for profit? We want stricter rules to be put in place as those plots can attract tourism in the town,” said one. Some of the plots situated along the Zambezi River have dilapidated buildings belonging to both Kamwi and Kawana who have allegedly owned the land for more than eight years respectively. Chunga confirmed he has owned the land for more then 11years citing his delay as financial constraints. “I will set up a building as soon as my finances are in order,” said Chunga. The dilapidated wooden bridge lodge has no roofing as it was allegedly stolen and Guinea Fowl Inn building was burnt down to the ground and no renovations have been undertaken since the new owner took over. Katima Mulilo Mayor John Likando confirmed the issue but asked for patience from the prospective land owners until new set measures are put in place according to the land Act, Act 23 of 1992. Likando also said the landowners are only charged double levy, rates and taxes for failing to set up permanent structures and that council cannot repossess the land. “Council is busy planning a set of new bylaws regarding landownership. Unfortunately we cannot repossess the land but charge them double levy, rates and taxes,” Likando
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