President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika has finally assented into law three land bills including the Customary Land Bill which will see Malawians especially those in the Village paying tax for the land inherited from their ancestors.
Speaker of the National Assembly Richard Msowoya confirmed of the development in an interview with the press.
“Yes, it is true the President has assented to the Land Bills,” said Msowoya.
The Bills namely; Land Bill, Physical Planning Bill, Land Survey Bill and Customary Land Bill were tabled in Parliament by the youthful Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development Atupele Muluzi.
Opposition Members of Parliament protested the passing of these bills, saying once the bills are passed into law chiefs will not have powers overland but DPP MPs remained.
As this was not enough opposition MPs walked out the National Assembly to force government to scrap off the bills, this did not yield any positive results.
After the passing of the said bills, analysts in the country pleaded with Mutharika not to assent the bills into law, saying Malawians are not amused with the bills.
Speaking during public lecture in Blantyre titled ‘Ali ndi Ambwiyawo’, well-known comedian-cum human right activist Michael Usi warned the DPP to tread carefully on the matter.
“My free advice to DPP and President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika is don’t start a war that you can’t win you will end up being embarrassed,” said Usi.
Usi said DPP could have first consulted the chiefs before taking the bill to Parliament.
