Government identifies temporary relocation site for displaced Kasasile residents
Government has identified a temporary relocation site for about 200 displaced residents of Kasasile Village in Nkhata Bay as it works towards securing a permanent settlement for them.
Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development Chimwemwe Chipungu announced the development on Thursday following reports that the displaced residents had begun walking from Nkhata Bay to Lilongwe to present their grievances to government.
The residents were displaced in 2014 after the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) evicted them from land it said had been illegally occupied.
Chipungu said his ministry engaged leaders of the affected group and agreed on a temporary settlement at Luvwili, near Sekele in Kasungu District.
“As a caring government, we decided to revisit this issue. We have spoken to the leaders of the group and identified a temporary place where they can settle. The site is at Luvwili, near Sekele in Kasungu,” said Chipungu.
He said the ministry is working with the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) to provide immediate humanitarian assistance, including tents, food and water, while long-term arrangements are being made.
Chipungu said government expects to identify a permanent settlement within a week, adding that the final location could be in Nkhata Bay or Mzimba, depending on the outcome of ongoing assessments.
He explained that the land previously occupied by the Kasasile residents belongs to the Malawi Defence Force, making their occupation illegal.
The minister said his ministry has been holding discussions with the Ministries of Defence and Justice, as well as regional leaders, to find a lasting solution to the dispute.
He further warned Malawians against encroaching on land without legal authorisation, urging those in need of land to apply through the Ministry of Lands.
The group of about 200 displaced residents began their journey from Nkhata Bay to Lilongwe on Wednesday to seek government intervention over their long-standing displacement.
