By Fostina Mkandawire

Salima, May 15, Mana: Government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening land governance and service delivery at the local level after devolving key functions and resources to councils across the country.

Speaking during an engagement meeting in Salima on the progress of land devolution on Thursday, Minister of Lands, Deus Gumba highlighted the progress made in decentralizing land services, aimed at bringing the services closer to the people and improving efficiency.

“We have devolved our functions to the councils to enhance service delivery and this includes the direct provision of resources and ensuring systems are streamlined within the community’s vicinity.

“Regulating land services is very important, and we are reinforcing land-related laws to ensure all developments align with stipulated guidelines.” Gumba said.

The devolution of land services is part of a broader effort by the government to decentralize governance functions and empower local authorities.

Principal Secretary for Local Government, Unity and Culture Richard Hara emphasized the importance of continued collaboration between Ministry of Lands and his ministry.

“We are working together to build the capacity of District Commissioners so they can effectively execute their mandates,” Hara said.

“This is a shared responsibility. The human resource and fiscal functions have been devolved, and with resources now accessible through Other Recurrent Transactions (ORT), departments within councils are better positioned to manage and utilize these funds efficiently.” he said.

District Commissioner for Zomba, Reingard Chavula, acknowledged the transformative impact of the devolution policy on land governance at the district level.

“The land sector is one of the most integral areas that has been devolved. It has empowered us to make proper decisions and resolve long-standing community land issues that we previously could not address due to lack of authority.” she said.

She said the move is a critical step in improving transparency, accountability, and service delivery in the land sector, which has historically been viewed and marred by bureaucratic delays and disputes.

As government continues to devolve more functions, stakeholders are optimistic that these changes will lead to stronger local governance and improved livelihoods for Malawians across the country.

The meeting involved District Commissioners and Chief Executive Officers of local councils to discuss the progress of devolution in the land sector.