The Chikwawa District Council developed a Physical Development Plan and local land use plans with assistance of the Ministry of Lands in accordance with the Physical Planning Act of 2016.
The plan will guide orderly and progressive development of land in the district while taking into consideration social and economic development aspects of all sector activities and projects.ย The CDPDP and accompanying local land use plans have been prepared as part of the Shire Valley Transformation Programme whose focus includes securing land tenure.
Speaking during the handover ceremony, Deputy Minister of Lands Honorable Abida Mia underscored the importance of orderly and proper land management to the development of the district and the country as a whole.
โLand is an important resource for social-economic development.ย This Physical Development Plan will assist in bringing about collaboration of development activities by different players in the district.ย This will assist in ensuring that there is order in the way land is used in the district especially for development.ย Specifically, for the Shire Valley Transformation Programme, the plan will assist with opening up land for irrigation and agro-processing.ย This will attract investors to the district and to the whole country,โ she said.
Chief Director in the Ministry of Local Government Dr Esmie Kainja said the plan is a great boost to governmentโs decentralization drive which gives power to councils to implement development projects.
โThe handover of this Physical Development Plan proves that councils have the capacity to manage huge projects contrary to the belief that is there that councils have no capacity.ย This ceremony attests to that.ย It is very possible for ministries to devolve powers to councils.ย I would therefore like to urge the council to implement this physical development plan to guide development in the district.ย As a ministry we are committed to provide support,โ she said.
Speaking on behalf of Chikwawa District Council, Chairman of the Council, Councilor Gerald Bede said: โAs a Council we feel so privileged to have this plan which will provide guidance in the way land should be utilized in Chikwawa District.ย We will work with different stakeholders and communities in the district to ensure that we achieve its set objectives.ย We are looking forward to benefit from the irrigation scheme currently being constructed by the Shire Valley Transformation Programme.ย The project will bring a lot of development hence need for proper utilization of land.ย This development plan is a big push towards achieving development in the district.โ
The Chikwawa Physical Development Plan was developed using a participatory approach and in consultation with community members and other stakeholders in the district.
The Plan is the first comprehensive physical development plan to be prepared for Chikwawa District under the land reform programme activities of which among others is to assist in piloting the implementation of new land laws before rolling out nation-wide.
Following the launch of the Physical Development Plan, the Chikwawa District Council is formulating an Urban Structure Plan which seeks to regulate how residential, industrial and other development areas should be developed.ย Through the Plan, major market areas in the district including Dyeratu, Nchalo and Ngabu will be transformed into towns.ย Through the Plan, the Council has allocated a site for the construction of a new market at Dyeratu whose construction is currently underway.ย There are also plans to relocate the district hospital to a new site as it is close to the Shire River.ย The Plan also includes improvement of roads and construction of a community stadium among other things.
