By Innocent Chamtulo

Mulanje, Mana June 5, Mana: Ministry of Lands has trained Mulanje District Land Tribunal to build its capacity to effectively manage land related disputes in the district.

Deputy Director for Quality Assurance in the Ministry of Lands, Jambo Chidziwitsano, said on Wednesday that the tribunal is crucial to ensuring that land disputes are settled hence the training.

He added that proper documentation on customary land will ensure that citizens have full ownership and legal protection of their land hence the need for communities to register their land in order to minimize land disputes.

“Rising number of land disputes in rural areas necessitated introduction of district tribunal. Formal documentation is key not only to legitimizing land ownership but also to prevent potential conflicts.

“In light of the increasing cases of land disputes, especially in rural communities, it is now important for people to formalize ownership of their land through proper channels,” said Chidziwatsano.

Chairperson for Mulanje District Land Tribunal, Senior Chief Mabuka, commended Ministry of Lands for organizing the training, saying it has built capacity of the tribunal in resolving land issues thereby minimizing tension and violence.

“Land disputes have been a longstanding challenge due to the growing population. There is, therefore, need for government to provide clear guidelines on how such cases should be managed,” he said.

Ministry of Lands also conducted a separate session with Mulanje land tribunals to provide further guidance on addressing land related issues within their jurisdictions.

The training made emphasis on customary land in large portions that often lack formal documentation making it prone to disputes.