LUSAKA, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Zambian President Edgar Lungu on Friday expressed concern over the indiscriminate issuance of land to foreigners, saying this threatens the heritage for the country's future generation.
"Mr. Speaker, I am equally concerned about the way in which land is being sold to foreigners. At the rate we are selling our land to foreigners there is a potential for danger that we might end up with children who are landless," Lungu said when he addressed parliament.
The Zambian leader expressed concern that land was being sold cheaply to foreigners, adding that this threatens the future of children who may end up as "squatters in their own country".
Lungu said it was disheartening that the unpatriotic behavior of some citizens to cheaply sell land to foreigners has even affected traditional leaders who were exchanging land with cheap second-hand vehicles with impunity and sometimes disregarding existing settlements like graveyards and grazing sites for livestock.
The Zambian leader has since directed the minister in charge of land to come up with a new law and policy that will guarantee the sovereignty of the country's land as a national heritage.
"The lack of patriotism regarding land management shames the selfless deeds of our forefathers who fought and died to ensure that we could fully be independent and be a sovereign state," he added.
He has since warned that his government will not "sit idle" while the unpatriotic behavior of selling land cheaply to foreigners goes on and threatened to repossess any land that will be given out at the expense of national interest.
Lungu addressed parliament following an amendment to the country's constitution which demands that he address the House twice in a year.
He first addressed lawmakers on September 2016 when he officially opened the new sessions.
However lawmakers from the main opposition party boycotted his address as the party has not recognized him as duly elected leader after last year's disputed elections, the second time they are doing it having shunned the official opening.
