Malawi: Kasasile Families Fume Over Chihana's 'Divide the Land' Remarks

What the report says

Displaced families from Kasasile in Malawi’s Nkhata Bay District are criticizing government handling of their relocation, following remarks by Second Vice-President Enock Kamzingeni Chihana about sharing land at Maji Estate in Mzimba West to accommodate them. According to Nyasa Times, the comments were made during a meeting in Mzimba on Saturday and have deepened frustration among residents who say they have been left uncertain about where they will be resettled.

At a press briefing in Mzuzu on Monday, the families’ chairperson, Lucky Botha, said officials had earlier indicated that several areas in Nkhata Bay, Rumphi and Mzimba could be considered, with residents allowed to choose. He said they were later told land had been secured at Maji Estate, only for them to learn it was already occupied. Other residents said the shifting plans have kept them in temporary conditions for too long and prevented them from farming.

The report says some families insist they will not leave Kasasile until they are compensated for property damaged by the Malawi Defence Force and allowed to farm their land this season. Local leaders also raised concerns about the size of plots being discussed and said the families reject being treated as encroachers. The dispute highlights broader tensions around displacement, land access and resettlement decisions in Malawi.