Kakoma Ward, Chibombo District
In the heart of Chibombo District, about 20 kilometers from the British Overseas Military Administration (BOMA), lies Kakoma Ward, a once-thriving agricultural community. For years, the people of Kakoma Ward had depended on this land for grazing their cattle, a critical source of food, income, and economic stability. As Mervis Biemba, a community member stated, “This land is ours, for us to graze, to catch fish, and to grow food”.
However, in recent years, the community has been facing an unprecedented challenge: their grazing land was taken over by foreign investors, animals started drowning, and several villages were forcefully displaced. For a community that relied on livestock for survival, this loss was more than just land, it threatened their very way of life.
Community sensitisation meeting in Kakoma Ward led by the District Working Group
The problem started in 2019, when a foreign investor came in to purchase a huge portion of land which was part of Kakoma Ward. As the District Commissioner (DC) for Chibombo Lloyd Kayeka recalls, “The first investor came in 2019. They purchased 700 hectors of land from the headman at a very low price; that is way beyond the limit fixed by the law. There was big political corruption behind this purchase. A year later, this investor sold the land to the Chinese company that is currently operating the farm in Kakoma”. The Chinese farm is producing marigold flowers, which are sold on the Chinese market for various uses including traditional medicine.
The Chinese operated farm produces marigold flowers, which are then sold on the Chinese market
As soon as the company started developing the huge plot of land, tensions flared up between the community and the Chinese company.
“Soon tensions broke off, with the headman, who sold our land away, and with the company, because people had been displaced from their traditional land. Many people left”, Mervis Biemba told us.
Those who stayed were also strongly affected by the new developments. The community lost important grazing land for their cattle. They also lost access to the main waterpoint that the livestock used to drink, since the farm lies between the village and water point.
Moreover, the building of trenches around the perimeter of the farm resulted in many animals drowning. As the Village Councilor Michelo Hankaya explained to us, “This area is waterlogged, it’s a swamp. The Chinese had to excavate trenches to manage the excess water in the soil. The result was that many animals, [attempting to access the swamp for drinking,] started drowning in the trenches”.
Another contentious issue concerned the presence of a burial site within the perimeter of the farm, which villagers could not access anymore.
“Everything was affected. We could not use our land anymore, we lost our animals. Even the schools were affected, since many families left”. Losing the land meant losing an important source of income for the community as well as a part of their identity.
Mervis Biemba, community member from Kakoma Ward
Tackling this situation was a hard task, as the District Commissioner, recalls: “We were dealing with a delicate situation. On one side the new Chinese investor produced legal titles for the purchase of the land, so they were entitled to use it for their project. On the other side, we needed to help the people whose rights were abused”.
Recognizing the urgency of the issue, the Chibombo-based District Working Group (DWG) under the LCA II Project took action in 2022. The DWG began by engaging key local stakeholders including Chief Liteta, Chief Chitanda, the District Commissioner, and the Council, securing approval to intervene. The DWG then launched community sensitization programs on land rights, ensuring that residents understood their rights and available legal pathways.
Through mobile legal clinics, the community members were empowered to report land-related corruption complaints. It was during one of these clinics that the issue of the chinese land acquisition was formally reported. The DWG promptly escalated the matter to TI-Z ALAC (Advocacy and Legal Advice for Citizens), which in turn referred the case to the Council and the District Commissioner.
Following sustained pressure and advocacy efforts, the Ministry of Lands took up the matter in 2023. The Minister of Lands personally visited Chibombo to assess the situation, holding discussions with the District Commissioner, chiefs, and the Chinese investors involved.
The visit produced a decisive outcome. The authorities agreed with the Chinese investor that the trenches be buried, to grant access to the farm; a fence was also built around the trenches, so to prevent further damage to cattle to occur. A portion of the farm was restored as grazing and farming land for the local community. Two pathways were created to allow livestock to access the water bodies. Finally, the gravesites that had been affected were returned to the rightful custodians. By early 2024, during a community engagement meeting with the DWG, residents confirmed that the trenches had been buried, and their grazing land had been fully restored.
Thanks to the involvement of TI-Z and various stakeholders, grazing land was restored to the community
A key factor in achieving this positive outcome was ensuring the buy-in from the Chinese company. The involved stakeholders successfully engaged and convinced the company that their collaboration was key to ensure a mutually beneficial agreement, finding a way for the company to respond to the community’s needs and at the same time continue their business operations. “The District Working Group was really key to ensure this positive outcome. We have a very positive work relationship, they were on the ground all the time, ready to respond to our requests, and get the work done” Lloyd Kayeka, District Commissioner.
Today, the community and the Chinese company live in harmony. According to a spokesperson for the company, “there have been no disputes since 2022. We do a lot to give back to the community. We welcome every villager to work here. We support villagers to go to school. We have built three boreholes to benefit the affected communities. Every year we work with the local government to rehabilitate the roads in the area”.
The farm’s head office, in Kakoma Ward
This positive relationship was confirmed by our interviewees from the community.
“The company made sure that there are lots of jobs here for our community”, (Michelo Hankaya, Village Council).
“The investor is helping us now. The trenches are buried, we got back our land, and business is thriving. Those who have money are even building good houses. We realized that the investor brought jobs, and there are improvements in the community”, (Mervis Biemba, Community Member).
The Kakoma case highlights the importance of productive multi-stakeholder engagements and the identification of pathways for mutually beneficial agreements. It also showcases the vital impact that awareness and mobilization have in defending the rights of vulnerable communities, especially when it comes to access to land and the vital source of income it provides for those living in rural areas.
In the words of Chibombo’s DC, “The key lesson I learnt from this story is that information and knowledge are key. We need to sensitize communities on their rights to land to empower them when they face such challenges. I have been interested in the project since the first courtesy call. What communities miss the most is information and knowledge. This project bridges this gap, providing the needed knowledge”.
TI-Z and the DWG visited the District Commissioner, who played a key role in facilitating a solution to the Kakoma case.
