Minister to intervene in cooperative land dispute

Minister of Industry Roy Kachale has assured communities in Nkhotakota that government will look into the alleged sale of a community rice cooperative society’s land to former Nkhotakota Central legislator Clement Stambuli.

The minister made the pledge on Monday when he visited the site  which belonged to Nkhotakota Rice Cooperative, but now lie idle and in ruins in Traditional Authority Malengachanzi in the district.

“From what I am hearing from you and the documents you have shared, it seems there is an issue to follow up and investigate, but we also need to hear from the other party,” said Kachale.

He wondered how the vast land, which includes over 20 houses, could be acquired at K2.1 million.

But the minister did not say when the issue will be settled, arguing that such issues were complicated as they involve sale of fixed assets and that they need consultation.

In an interview, new Nkhotakota Rice Cooperative Society chairperson Veronica Prisca Chisemphere said:

“We believe that the way the buyer acquired the land was irregular as it had all along belonged to the community and we were never made aware of the transaction.”

But ex-minister Stambuli, said he will comment after meeting Kachale.