Zambian Govt Committed to Implementing Resettlement Policy, Says OVP
The Office of the Vice President’s Department of Resettlement has reaffirmed its commitment to actualizing the implementation of the Resettlement Policy, addressing long-standing challenges in the program.
Director of Resettlement, Mr. Cooper Chibomba, made this announcement during a Ministerial Stakeholder Engagement in Lusaka, organized by the Centre for Environment Justice (CEJ) with support from the Southern African Trust (SAT).
Mr. Chibomba disclosed that Zambia has 107 active resettlement schemes covering one million hectares of land across the country’s 10 provinces, as of July 2024. These schemes, initially part of the Rural Reconstruction Units, have evolved into resettlement programs now overseen by the Office of the Vice President.
He explained that the resettlement programs operate under Gazette Notice 1123 of 2021, facilitating voluntary and involuntary resettlement of targeted citizens. The government is also providing basic infrastructure and services to support settlers in these schemes, along with agri-business skills, market linkages, and access to inputs.
“The Resettlement Policy of 2015 ensures security of tenure, compensation, and resettlement assistance for vulnerable groups, including Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), women, youths, and persons with disabilities,” Chibomba said.
He added that the government is working to enhance rural economic transformation through the recently updated Resettlement Policy 2024, aimed at improving productivity in settler communities.
While pledging to address challenges such as forced displacement, human settlement coordination, and monitoring, the Director emphasized the need for collaboration with traditional leaders, line ministries, and private sector partners to accelerate rural transformation.
CEJ Executive Director Maggie Mwape called on the government to raise awareness in mining communities about compensation laws, especially in areas like Sinazongwe, where residents often face pressure to sign unfair relocation agreements.
Mwape urged the government to take a more active role in these negotiations to protect vulnerable communities.
The government, through the Department of Resettlement, has pledged to continue working with stakeholders to ensure fair compensation, secure land tenure, and a better future for Zambia’s rural communities.
