The Lusaka City Council (LCC) has clarified the status of two commercial plots, numbered 7155 and 7156, situated on Mukatasha Road, Chinika Area, Lusaka District, part of which has been encroached upon and was mistakenly used as a road by members of the public.
According to the Council, Amish Industrial Properties Limited legally acquired the said plots in 1981 and 1985.
However, when developing the property in 2013 and 2014, they faced opposition from members of the public who erroneously claimed that the undeveloped part of the plot was a road reserve, the issue which prompted the Council to intervene through legal proceedings.
The case was taken to the High Court, which ruled in favour of Amish Industrial Properties Limited, on the merit that it had held Certificates of Title to the said properties since 1981 and 1985, respectively.
The company had however, intentionally left a portion of the land undeveloped for future use, and it is not a designated road reserve, contrary to some claims.
LCC Public Relations Manager Chola Mwamba has therefore made it clear that Amish Limited is recognised as the rightful owner of the plots and has the authority to develop the land as it wishes.
“Therefore, the company is within its jurisdiction to develop the portion of land by closing the passage that the public was mistakenly using as a road for a long period of time,” she said.
Ms Mwamba has assured the public that the Local Authority remains committed to upholding the law, protecting the interests of the community we serve, and safeguarding the rights of individuals and entities that legally acquire plots, to bring sanity and order to the development of the city.