More than half a century after being forced from their homes in the name of wildlife conservation, communities displaced from the Nyika Plateau and Vwaza Marsh have renewed calls for the return of what they describe as their ancestral land.
They are questioning the legality and fairness of a government takeover that has left generations landless and impoverished.
Through the Nyika–Vwaza Land Victims Association, affected families are appealing to the Malawi Government to revisit the circumstances under which their land was converted into Nyika National Park and Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve.
They argue that proper procedures including consultation, compensation, and resettlement were never followed.
The association represents people evicted from parts of Rumphi, Mzimba, and surrounding districts.
It says thousands of families were resettled on already congested customary land, a situation that has entrenched hunger and poverty decades after the original displacements.
Speaking in an interview with Malawi24, the association’s chairperson, Group Village Headman (GVH) Chikulupati of Hewe in Rumphi District, said repeated efforts to engage government authorities have produced no meaningful response.
“We have tried all possible channels to engage the government, but there has been no response to our concerns. Our people are struggling to survive. We do not have enough land for farming, and this has resulted in hunger and deep poverty among families that once depended on these lands for their livelihoods.”said GVH Chikulupati.”
Historical records indicate that the land now comprising Nyika National Park and Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve was originally occupied and used by local communities for farming, grazing, hunting, and cultural activities long before it was designated as protected land.
During the colonial era, the British administration declared vast areas of northern Malawi as game and forest reserves.
Nyika was first designated a controlled hunting area in the 1950s and was later upgraded to a national park in 1965, shortly after Malawi’s independence.
Vwaza Marsh followed a similar path, first declared a game reserve and later gazetted as a wildlife reserve.Community leaders argue that these decisions were imposed without meaningful consultation, compensation, or resettlement plans.
Many families were forced to relocate to surrounding customary land, which they say was already overcrowded and incapable of supporting the growing population.
“The land was simply taken in the name of conservation. Our grandparents were told to leave, and to this day, their descendants are paying the price.”said Gogo Maria Nyirenda.
The Nyika–Vwaza Land Victims Association says the loss of fertile land has had long-term social and economic consequences.
With limited farmland, many households struggle to produce enough food, while others are driven to encroach on marginal land or protected forest areas, often leading to conflict with authorities.
The group also claims that cultural and ancestral ties were disregarded, as graveyards, sacred sites, and traditional boundaries were absorbed into the protected areas.
“These lands are not just about farming, they carry our history, our culture, and our identity. Losing them has stripped our people of dignity.”said GVH Chikulupati.
In response to the claims, the Head of Department for National Parks and Wildlife, Brighton Kumchedwa, said both Nyika National Park and Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve were legally established.
“These areas were created in accordance with the law, they were properly gazetted and remain important national assets for biodiversity conservation and tourism.”said Kumchedwa.
However, he did not directly address allegations relating to compensation or resettlement of displaced communities, instead emphasizing the government’s responsibility to protect wildlife and natural resources.
Despite the government’s position, the Nyika–Vwaza Land Victims Association maintains that legal designation does not erase the suffering endured by displaced communities.
The group is calling for renewed dialogue, compensation, or alternative land arrangements to restore livelihoods and dignity to affected families.
“We are not against conservation,” said GVH Chikulupati. We are only asking for justice. The government must acknowledge the mistakes of the past and find a fair solution for the people who lost everything.”
As the demands grow louder, the dispute highlights the enduring tension between conservation objectives and community land rights an unresolved debate that continues to shape land policy, social justice, and reconciliation in Malawi.
