By Vincent Gunde

Two cabinet ministers in the DPP led government of President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika are expected to hold discussions with the people of Kasasile in Nkhatabay district after agreed to meet at their homeland and not in Mzimba district.

Last week, the Kasasile people after spending a night at Jenda CCAP Church in Mzimba district were stopped by the police not to proceed on their journey walking on foot from Nkhatabay to Lilongwe to meet President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika to address their concerns in as soon as yesterday.

Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development Chimwemwe Chipungu and Deputy Minister for Homeland Security Norman Paulosi Chisale wanted to hold discussions with the Kasasile people at the Jenda CCAP Church in Mzimba but the people insisted that discussions will be held at their ancestral land in Nkhatabay district.

Questions continue to ring in the people’s heads that what is it that government wants to discuss with the people of Kasasile, relocation to another area or compensations.

The High Court in Mzuzu ruled in favour of the Kasasile people not the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) which claimed that the land belongs to them for military trainings.

In the Order, the court asked the Kasasile leaders to assess the damages caused by the forced relocation at gun point where the soldiers had to damage their crops, shot to dead some of their livestock and others, were arrested to Mzuzu Prison.

Concerned with the plight of the victims of the Kasasile land dispute, the Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) has called for immediate implementation of the High Court Order on the Kasasile land dispute.

The Commission has asked the government to comply with the High Court Order and publish within 21 days a clear implementation plan outlining timelines, responsible institutions and progress towards permanent resettlement.

The organization has called on government to complete the resettlement process without further delay, provide adequate compensation in accordance with the Land Acquisition and Compensation Act.

“Government must ensure that no further evictions occur without full compliance with the condition, applicable laws and international human rights standards,” reads the MHRC statement in part.

The Commission in the statement promised to actively monitor government’s compliance and will publicly report on progress warning government that should it fail to comply with the stated timelines, it will consider appropriate measures within its Constitutional and statutory mandate to promote accountability and protect the rights of the affected families.

The Commission finally reminded the government that the people of Kasasile have waited for long enough, justice delayed is justice denied, calling upon the government to act with urgency to ensure full implementation of the High Court Order and to restore the dignity and rights of the people of Kasasile.