Litunga and Rupiah

Thousands of villagers in Sikongo District of Western Province may be displaced following a corrupt land deal involving Litunga Lubosi Imwiko ii. The land in question is said to be containing oil and precious minerals.  Sikondo village lies along the Angolan border.
Villagers in Sihole, Lica, and parts of Liuwa are among the affected following the alleged sell of huge pieces of land by the Litunga. It is believed that the Litunga has sold the land to former president Rupiah Banda and his  family or to their international network of corrupt business associates.  According to people close to the Litunga, Rupiah Banda has been, in the recent past, a  frequent visitor ate  the Litunga’s palace.

Villagers  have been told that they will be relocated because their land will be used as a game reserve and expansion of Liuwa game park.
All Silalo Indunas (Chiefs) from Nyengo and all affected areas were meeting the Litunga this week and are expected to travel back from Lealui today (Monday), a source told the Watchdog from Sikongo.
‘ We expect our Silalo Indunas to come back today from Lealui where the Litunga had summoned them for a briefing on what to tell the people,’ said the source from Sikongo.
Apparently all the affected areas are believed to contain huge deposits of oil, emeralds, diamonds and salt.
In 2004 the Litunga bulldozed the concessioning of Liuwa National Park to Africa Parks Limited. It is however believed that diamonds are being mined by foreigners in Liuwa.
The latest  move by the Litunga to sell the mineral rich land is likely to face resistance from the people and District Senior Chiefs.
One village that the Watchdog will not name for now  in Sikongo is said to have one of World’s’ richest diamond reserves.