Malawi Government Official Position on Thyolo/Mulanje Land Saga

Republic of Malawi PRESS STATEMENT For immediate release September 2, 2016 Ministry of Information, Communications Technology and Civic Education Private Bag 310 Capital City Lilongwe 3 Malawi Tel: +265111770311 Fax: +265111774568 ENCROACHMENT OF PRIVATE LAND IS ILLEGAL The recent events in Thyolo at the privately owned Conforzi Estate reinforce the Minister of Lands statement this week that there is a need to improve people’s understanding of Citizen’s rights over land across the Country. The Conforzi Estate is a privately owned tea plantation, an agricultural business; as such it has to conform to a number of international standards that includes ensuring that sufficient land is left fallow to conserve natural habitat, protect crops from disease and support the management of water. On Thursday, September 1 2016 a number of local people from the Thyolo area illegally occupied private land owned by the Conforzi Estate. This encroachment of private land was illegal and is therefore now a matter between the land owner and those who have trespassed on the land, to be resolved by the Courts. The public is hereby being assured that Government is working with major land owners across the Country including sugar and tea plantation owners and the church to develop programmes that will assist in alleviating poverty and improving food security. PATRICIA A. KALIATI MP GOVERNMENT SPOKESPERSON & MINISTER OF INFORMATION, COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY AND CIVIC EDUCATION