K103m needed to buy land

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Monday July 22nd, 2013

 THE state needs to pay more than K103 million for the use of customary land in the country, Lands Minister Benny Allan told Parliament last Friday.

He said this in response to questions by Komo-Magarima MP Francis Potape, who asked what the State, through the Lands and Physical Planning Department, was doing to acquire land as stated under the Medium Term Development Plan and the Vision 2050.

Potape also asked if a law could be made to ban compensation demands for roads and other development and stop people claiming compensation from land that had been acquired during the colonial era.

He said some landowners had been paid but their records were not available. 

Allan said the Lands Department needed K50 million each year to continue to acquire more alienated land from customary landowners.

He said the K13.5 million allocated in the 2013 budget was insufficient to settle the K103 million for outstanding land payments.

Allan said people who had purchased land should cooperate with the Lands Department to have their land surveyed and valued before being granted titles.

Allan said he did not agree with people claiming money from land purchased by the State during the colonial days.

“They were paid and they do not need to be paid again,” he said. 

“They should accept that where they were paid salt or axes or whatever, as the leaders at that time agreed. I will not encourage second payment.”

He said there was a need to review existing laws on this matter.