Chief Chikanta of the Tonga speaking people of Kalomo District has rejected the notice by the Ministry of Lands to evict settlers around Kalomo Hills Forestry suggesting that its illogical to evict a population of 42, 000 people who have stayed there for fifty years.
Reacting to the eviction notices given to three wards in Dundumwezi Constituency, the traditional leader says the ministry did not inform the two traditional leaders on the eviction notices to their people.
Chief Chikanta says it is clear that government did not do a proper inventory of what is on the ground before deciding to evict people around Kalomo Hills Forest due to the Population and infrastructure around Kalomo Hills Forestry.
He says there are fourteen government schools, clinics, mobile network towers and Agriculture camps making it difficult to demolish them and then evict people.
The traditional leader has also questioned the logic behind the eviction notices, when the same government recently partnered with World Bank in constructing Bbilili Secondary School in Bbilili Ward.
He says evicting people around the area means that the World Bank and other donors should demolish the structures after pumping in a lot of money.
The Chief says their stance was made known to the District Commissioner, Kalomo forestry ,the member of Parliament and the council during a meeting in Kalomo on Monday this week.
The ministry of land in Kalomo district has issued eviction notices to people in Womba, Bbilili and Naluja ward to evict the Forest land by the 30th of September,2018.
