Perfidious alienations...Phase 1

Phase 1 of the alienation - under a 99 year lease, to Zaeed Patel, son of Gulam Patel, of part of the West Mvuvye National Forest No. 54 in Nyimba/Petauke district is now complete. This portion of what was historically part of the Mwape traditonal lands was 'sold' to Patel by Chieftainess Mwape, without the full agreement of her headmen, but with the agreement of the Nyimba District Council, and a lease issued in a short time by the Ministry of Lands, despite this being a National Forest. The Forestry Department has advised me that their hands are tied as the lease was issued by an official in the office of the Commisioner of Lands.

Prior to this, as documentation earlier in the blog attests, her brother, Senior Chief Luembe, had agreed - as a co-director of the Luembe Trust, to seek a Joint Forest Management agreement with the Forestry Department, and to enter into a separate agreement with his sister in order for her chiefdom and its people to benefit from the appropriate development of the forest based on a landuse plan agreed to by the Forestry Department.

Phase 2: the alienation of what was once part of Luembe's country is now under way, as posted documentation will reveal. As a result of this, and other misdemeanours, the Luembe Headmen and people of Luembe are oncemore seeking to have the present chief impeached.