Land Row Heats Up in Balaka.
A fight over land pay has sparked new words between groups in Balaka. The local council group MALGA stands behind District Chief Tamanya Harawa. Yet CDEDI head Sylvester Namiwa says MALGA needs to hear all sides.
People say Harawa helped cheat Ng'onga folks out of fair pay for their land. Portland Cement wants this land for making cement. On Monday, angry people went to Harawa's office, asking him to leave his job.
MALGA's leader, Hadrod Zeru Mkandawire, wrote on February 4 that early checks show Harawa might be free of blame.
Mkandawire said the key fact lies in time. Land experts checked the worth in January 2023. The first paychecks went out in July 2023, and Harawa came to work in September 2023.
"We find it hard to see how Mr. Harawa could have helped wrong acts," said Mkandawire. He added that false claims hurt people's names.
But CDEDI's Namiwa thinks MALGA rushed its words. "They should have heard both sides first," he said.
The case raises important questions about fair land deals in Malawi. Many will watch to see what happens next in this growing dispute.
A fight over land pay has sparked new words between groups in Balaka. The local council group MALGA stands behind District Chief Tamanya Harawa. Yet CDEDI head Sylvester Namiwa says MALGA needs to hear all sides.
People say Harawa helped cheat Ng'onga folks out of fair pay for their land. Portland Cement wants this land for making cement. On Monday, angry people went to Harawa's office, asking him to leave his job.
MALGA's leader, Hadrod Zeru Mkandawire, wrote on February 4 that early checks show Harawa might be free of blame.
Mkandawire said the key fact lies in time. Land experts checked the worth in January 2023. The first paychecks went out in July 2023, and Harawa came to work in September 2023.
"We find it hard to see how Mr. Harawa could have helped wrong acts," said Mkandawire. He added that false claims hurt people's names.
But CDEDI's Namiwa thinks MALGA rushed its words. "They should have heard both sides first," he said.
The case raises important questions about fair land deals in Malawi. Many will watch to see what happens next in this growing dispute.
