Govt given a seven-day ultimatum over delayed compensation for the Area 54 land
A group of concerned citizens from five Group Village Heads under Senior Chief Chitukula in Lilongwe has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Ministry of Lands, demanding immediate compensation for ancestral land acquired by the government for the development of Area 54.
In a strongly worded statement, representatives from the villages of Kamphinda, Khongo, Chimkhotankwazi, Katola, and Dondi have accused the government of playing “hide and seek” with their livelihoods after years of unmet promises and contradictory explanations from top officials.
At the heart of the dispute is a 1,020-hectare stretch of land between the Malawi Institute of Management (MIM) and the Airport junction along the M1 road — now officially designated as part of Lilongwe’s rapidly developing Area 54. In 2022, over 3,000 residents were instructed to halt any new construction, including toilets and homes, in preparation for a government-led relocation.
“We welcomed the development in good faith,” reads the statement. “Some of us even borrowed money, including from loan sharks, to buy new land for relocation. But since then, we have lived like destitutes.”
Residents say they have endured deteriorating hygiene and uncertain futures, as their ability to maintain proper sanitation or rebuild shelter was blocked by the pending relocation process. Despite making 24 visits to the Ministry of Lands, the Office of the President and Cabinet, and the Lilongwe District Council, no compensation has materialised.
In a meeting with the residents on September 11, 2024, Minister of Lands Hon. Deus Gumba reportedly admitted that funds intended for the compensation were diverted to support victims of Cyclone Freddy in the Southern Region. He, however, promised that resources would be made available during the November 2024 mid-year budget review.
The situation took another turn on February 11, 2025, when Principal Secretary Davie Chilonga reportedly told the group during a meeting at the Ministry’s Zowe Conference Room that the funds had instead been redirected to the Malawi Electoral Commission to finance the September 16, 2025 general elections.
“Who are we supposed to believe — the Minister or his PS?” the group queried, expressing frustration over what they view as deliberate misinformation.
To add to the confusion, Hon. Gumba announced on a televised “Boma Likutinji” programme on March 16, 2025, that his Ministry was on the verge of paying MK9 billion in compensation to Area 54 residents and MK3 billion to those affected in Duduzu. He reportedly repeated this commitment in Parliament two days later.
Yet, according to the concerned citizens, the Ministry is now actively selling portions of the disputed land to developers who are pressuring locals to vacate immediately — without any compensation having been paid.
“Enough is enough,” the statement reads. “We are giving the Ministry seven days to act. If Hon. Gumba fails to pay us or at least come clean on the matter, he must accept that he lied — not just to us, but to the entire nation in Parliament.”
Failure to comply, the group warns, will lead to organised vigils at the Lilongwe District Council offices, as residents demand accountability and respect for their rights.
