After more than a year of uncertainty and displacement, 367 families evicted from Kasasile in Nkhata Bay are finally preparing to rebuild their lives on new land in Mzimba.
But as the resettlement begins, Second Vice President Enock Kanzingeni Chihana has warned that its success will depend not only on land allocation, but also on peace, unity and acceptance between the newcomers and their host community.
Chihana made the appeal on Wednesday during a visit to Maji Estate in Mpherembe, Mzimba District, where government has secured 600 hectares of land for families displaced from the Malawi Defence Force’s Viphya Firing Range in August 2024.
He said peaceful coexistence between the resettled families and residents of the host community would be crucial in ensuring a smooth transition and creating an environment conducive to development.
Chihana stressed that while government was committed to providing land and support services, lasting stability would require both communities to embrace one another and work together.
He said President Peter Mutharika had directed that the available land be shared fairly between the displaced households and families already residing at the estate.
The Vice President assured residents that government would ensure equal access to development programmes and social services meant to uplift livelihoods in the area.
Among the interventions planned are the Ntukula Pakhomo Programme, the Affordable Inputs Programme, construction of schools and a health facility, as well as upgrades to the road network.
Chihana further urged the two communities to rise above cultural differences and focus on their common identity as Malawians.
He said unity, mutual respect and cooperation would help lay a strong foundation for development and prosperity in the area.
Meanwhile, Mzimba West Member of Parliament Aeckim Kumwenda and Senior Traditional Authority Mpherembe have appealed to government to engage Spearhead Holdings in securing additional agricultural land for the resettled families.
The two leaders argued that the 600 hectares currently available may not adequately cater for all 367 households, particularly because farming remains the primary source of livelihood for most of the affected families.
They warned that limited access to farmland could undermine efforts to help the displaced households attain long-term economic stability.
The appeal comes as government continues implementing measures aimed at finding a permanent solution for families uprooted from Kasasile following their eviction from the Viphya Firing Range.
For the hundreds of families starting life afresh at Maji Estate, the success of the resettlement programme may ultimately depend on whether promises of land, services and peaceful coexistence translate into lasting opportunities and a secure future.
But as the resettlement begins, Second Vice President Enock Kanzingeni Chihana has warned that its success will depend not only on land allocation, but also on peace, unity and acceptance between the newcomers and their host community.
Chihana made the appeal on Wednesday during a visit to Maji Estate in Mpherembe, Mzimba District, where government has secured 600 hectares of land for families displaced from the Malawi Defence Force’s Viphya Firing Range in August 2024.
He said peaceful coexistence between the resettled families and residents of the host community would be crucial in ensuring a smooth transition and creating an environment conducive to development.
Chihana stressed that while government was committed to providing land and support services, lasting stability would require both communities to embrace one another and work together.
He said President Peter Mutharika had directed that the available land be shared fairly between the displaced households and families already residing at the estate.
The Vice President assured residents that government would ensure equal access to development programmes and social services meant to uplift livelihoods in the area.
Among the interventions planned are the Ntukula Pakhomo Programme, the Affordable Inputs Programme, construction of schools and a health facility, as well as upgrades to the road network.
Chihana further urged the two communities to rise above cultural differences and focus on their common identity as Malawians.
He said unity, mutual respect and cooperation would help lay a strong foundation for development and prosperity in the area.
Meanwhile, Mzimba West Member of Parliament Aeckim Kumwenda and Senior Traditional Authority Mpherembe have appealed to government to engage Spearhead Holdings in securing additional agricultural land for the resettled families.
The two leaders argued that the 600 hectares currently available may not adequately cater for all 367 households, particularly because farming remains the primary source of livelihood for most of the affected families.
They warned that limited access to farmland could undermine efforts to help the displaced households attain long-term economic stability.
The appeal comes as government continues implementing measures aimed at finding a permanent solution for families uprooted from Kasasile following their eviction from the Viphya Firing Range.
For the hundreds of families starting life afresh at Maji Estate, the success of the resettlement programme may ultimately depend on whether promises of land, services and peaceful coexistence translate into lasting opportunities and a secure future.
