Melo Media, Monday, 13th November, 2023
The Zambia Land Alliance is urging the government to revise its existing land administration and mining laws in order to safeguard communities from being displaced due to the ongoing discovery of minerals in residential areas and the establishment of new mines.
A meeting organized by Care for Nature Zambia in Chief Chimese’s chiefdom of Mansa district highlighted the concerns of hundreds of individuals who are at risk of losing their land, as well as those who have already experienced land seizures due to manganese mining and stone quarrying.
Currently, the existing laws grant individuals with land titles the rights to the surface of the land, while those holding mining permits or licenses have rights to both the surface land and the minerals beneath it.
The Zambia Land Alliance is urging for the implementation of legislation that will safeguard communities from being displaced due to the inadequacies in the mining and land administration laws of the country, according to Executive Director Patrick Musole.
Mr. Musole, a representative of the alliance, has specifically highlighted the mines and mineral development act, which currently grants more power to mining developers over individuals who possess land titles. He argues that this law needs to be revised and amended to prioritize the protection of community rights and interests.
