Thousands at Risk of Homelessness in Mzuzu as Court Orders Demolition of Houses

Mzuzu, Malawi – More than 4,200 residents in the Wedi area of Mzuzu face the imminent risk of homelessness following a recent ruling by the Mzuzu High Court. The court’s decision, delivered on May 28, 2024, mandates the demolition of houses built on a piece of land formerly owned by the Colonial Development Corporation (CDC) before getting transferred to the Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (ADMARC).

Group Village Headman Kaula expressed concern for the affected residents, emphasizing their uncertainty about where to turn for assistance. “We are at a crossroads,” he said during an interview. “These families don’t know where else to go.”

Despite the impending threat, GVH Kaula asserted that the residents are prepared to defend what they believe is rightfully theirs—even if it means risking their lives criticizing the court’s judgment, labeling it as “erroneous.”

According to him, the court failed to thoroughly examine the historical context of the disputed public land pointing out that ADMARC forcibly took the land from locals in 1983 tracing the land’s origins back to the time when a Briton named Boardman returned it to the community.

He further alleged that between 1983-85 ADMARC allegedly evicted residents without compensation, claiming that it legally got the land ownership transfer from the Colonial Development Corporation (CDC), a public entity.

The affected area, once part of the Tung Estate, now hosts approximately 700 houses, now slated for demolition in accordance with the court’s ruling, which grants a three-month notice for encroachers to vacate the land.

Some locals who were interviewed, while expressing discomfort with the court ruling expressed surprise with the leasehold granted to the politicians; Leonard Njikho, Rose Chibambo and a business woman, Anna Keys whose land is just adjacent to the disputed public land.

However, Njikho distanced himself from the illegal acquisition of land claims stating that the idle bareland he got from the Department of Lands went through dully adjudication processes he also dispelled claims that he used his political influence to acquire his piece of land.

“I got that piece of land after leaving that political office of a parliamentarian, you can check with the Department of Lands or the Mzuzu City Council who procedurally processed the papers which I got just a few years ago,” Njikho said.

The former Mzuzu City parliamentarian further revealed that he at some point cautioned those involved in the cutting down of trees and sale of land belonging to ADMARC when he was still in office as member of the legislative assembly.

In an interview, an official at the Northern Region’s Department of Lands who spoke on condition of anonymity sighting the High Court ruling, while referring to the map and other relevant documents described Njikho’s claims as genuine.

“The plots issued to Leonard Njikho and others that side have since been a private land which was issued upon duly adjudication processes, no one should cheat. ADMARC has never owned that portion of land,” he said.

If no miracle is going to be performed, the enforcement of the High Court ruling is scheduled to begin on August 24, 2024.