Inkosi Masasa
Some traditional leaders from Malawi’s central district of Ntcheu have accused Spearhead Holdings Limited of illegally owning 8,904 hectares of land in the Bwanje Valley.
In an interview, Inkosi Masasa questioned how the privately-owned company, managed by Graham Carr, acquired such a vast area of customary land without the chiefs’ approval.
“In normal circumstances, one cannot obtain a title deed for customary land without an authorization letter from the chiefs,” said Inkosi Masasa.
Traditional Masasa added, “We were surprised in 2014 when officials from Spearhead Holdings Limited arrived in our area, claiming to own the land through a 1983 lease to Spearhead Enterprises, a company operating under the defunct Malawi Young Pioneers (MYP).”
Inkosi Masasa stated that MYP never operated or owned a structure in his area, thus dismissing the claim.
“History has it that MYP never operated or had a structure in our area, and together with my subjects, we are wondering how Spearhead Holdings Limited is claiming ownership of our land,” he added.
Group Village Headmen Yesaya and Elisa from the area said that Spearhead Holdings Limited officials failed to produce an authorization letter from the chiefs when the matter was brought to court in 2018 in the presence of the then District Commissioner of Ntcheu, Smart Gwedemula.
“After failing to show the court how they acquired the land, they later changed their tune, saying they are claiming ownership of the land following a 43 million Kwacha debt by former Head of State Hastings Kamuzu Banda to some commercial banks in the country,” said Group Village Headman Yesaya.
Former Malawi Young Pioneer serviceman Ringsta Mpoma Moyo, who claims to have handled administrative work for Spearhead Enterprises, agreed with the chiefs and wondered how the company is claiming ownership of the land when he recently finished leasing part of the claimed land, a process he started in 2017.
When reached for comment, Gwedemula only said he found the issue and left it unresolved after the end of his tenure as the District Commissioner.
Graham Carr’s official, Ackno Mbewe, dismissed the chiefs’ claims, stating that Spearhead Holdings Limited legally owned the Bwanje Estate through the 1983 lease to Spearhead Enterprises.
“After the land was idle for some time due to certain circumstances, they (the chiefs) claimed ownership of the land and later leased it to Motor Engil and sold part of it to Crown Plantations,” he said.
Mbewe also disclosed that Spearhead Holdings Limited is partly owned by the government, with a 45 percent stake, and that the Bwanje Estate is earmarked for the recently proposed Mega Farms.
Our investigations and documents in our possession have revealed that before acquiring part of the Bwanje Estate land, Crown Plantations made a public notice, inviting any disgruntled person or organization to dispute their acquisition of the land.
However, on January 21, 2023, the High Court in Blantyre passed a judgment in favor of Spearhead Holdings Limited after it complained of land encroachment by Motor Engil and Crown Plantations.
Meanwhile, Crown Plantations has filed an appeal against the ruling, claiming that it legally acquired the land and that Spearhead Holdings Limited is under receivership, meaning the company is under Graham Carr and therefore not suitable to sue.
Following the ruling, on March 7, 2023, Spearhead Holdings Limited applied to the High Court for the assessment of damages amounting to over 2 billion Kwacha from Crown Plantations and 68 million Kwacha from Motor Engil.
