The Ministry of Lands has recruited 319 land clerks and 34 land registrars to be deployed in districts and traditional authorities (T/As) to improve land administration in line with the 2016 land related laws.

In an interview, Principal Secretary in the ministry David Chilonga confirmed the recruitment, saying they are currently undergoing a four-week induction at Blantyre Teacher’s Training College offered by the Malawi School of Government-Mpemba Campus.

A farmer works on his piece of land

The 34 district land registrars will be deployed in all councils and municipalities while the 319 clerks will be based at T/A level.

 “Since we have devolved, each local authority will have the district land registrar to allow the local authority to register land, transfer or mortgage property at local authority level including city, town and municipal councils.

“The land registrar will also work as secretary to the district land tribunal in each district. The 319 land clerks will work at T/A level across the country. They will be secretaries to the customary land committees and customary land tribunals.”

He said at the time of the functional review of the ministry in 2023, there were 319 gazetted T/As; hence, the recruitment of land clerks had to match this number.

The Customary Land Act (2016) and attendant regulations (2018) create land committees whose members are expected to be nominated by the communities themselves.

The committee ensures that all other categories of land and their respective boundaries within the jurisdiction of the group village head of the area are clear and known; adjudicate customary land rights, process applications for and make grants of customary estates subject to the consent of the T/A.

This committee is also responsible for resolving land related disputes, but where one is not satisfied with the outcome they can appeal to customary land tribunal based at T/A level. After this level there is a district land tribunal and the central land board as the higher authority for appeal.

Read the regulations (75): “Any person aggrieved by a decision of the Central Land Board may appeal to the High Court on a point of law within 30 days from the date of the determination of the board”.

This arrangement replaced the old system where traditional leaders were the ultimate authority over customary land leading to abuse of power in some cases.

It is expected that with land committees involved, there will be fairness and justice in the administration of customary land.

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