By Olipa Katongo Kunda,
A Certificate of Title is a State-issued document that identifies the legitimate owners of property. Its benefits include security of land tenure, protection of the landowner’s family—especially women and children—in the event of death, and allows for the property to be inherited by one’s children.
In efforts to ensure landowners have secure property and land rights, the National Land Titling program conducted by The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources with Medici Land Governance begun the enumeration process of landowners in Lusaka’s Kafue district in May 2021. Kafue district is located 45km from Lusaka City, it is a small town of about 219,000 inhabitants with its main economy based on fishing and cash crop farming. Areas in which data is being captured includes Shikoswe, Zambia Compound, Chawama, Green Field among others.
Since the launch of the National Land Titling Program in October 2020, many landowners have participated in the program, including Melody Katebe, a property owner in Kafue’s Chawawama Compound. Ms. Katebe said she is very happy that this program made the process of getting documentation for her family’s property easier.
She stated, “After the death of my father, who was the initial property owner, my family and I were tormented by his relatives. They threw my mother out because they believed she did not contribute to that house. Unfortunately enough, my father left a huge debt which fell back on us, and we struggled for many years to pay it off. As much as we were eventually able to win the property back, I am not at peace until we have a title for it. That way my mother’s grandchildren will be protected even after I die.”
Just like Melody Katebe, many other residents in Kafue are very happy to be part of the National Titling Program.
