The Center for Democracy and Economic Development Initiative (CDEDI) in collaboration with concerned landless people in Thyolo and Mulanje have given the Ministry of Lands a 28-day ultimatum to solve the land wrangles between estate owners and community members.

This is contained in a letter dated February 25, 2021 signed by CDEDI executive director, Sylvester Namiwa.

CDEDI together with the concerned landless people wants estate owners to give back the land that has been left idle, so that it should be used for farming and other activities by the community members.

On February 19, 2021, CDEDI together with the concerned landless people from Thyolo and Mulanje had a meeting with the Minister of Lands Kezzie Msukwa in Thyolo district where the group outlined all their concerns.

In return Msukwa said he will have to meet all stakeholders involved in the matter including traditional leaders for a solution to be made in which he already met with the estate owners the day he met with CDEDI and the concerned landless people.

Namiwa said there is need for the estate owners to surrender the plantations which are in the two districts in order for the community members to form cooperatives to be managing the crops in the plantations.

“Once the exercise has been accomplished the next step on the agenda will be to engaging the estate owners that part of the tea, coffee , Tung and macadamia plantations are managed by the locals, while the estate owners should concentrate on buying and processing these cash crops,” reads part of the letter.

CDEDI has however said the people of the said district are living with a wound each passing day hence there is need for justice to be served.