Elvin Gomani

Land Negotiation, Eviction and Demolition: Built Environment Impacted? Elvin Gomani

Malawi Housing Corporation and the Police demolished about three hundred houses and subsequently evicted residents from the land at Baghdad in Lilongwe, Malawi. Apparently, land conflicts, evictions and demolitions continue to occur. This is in contrast with several recommendations by human rights bodies, etc discouraging the tendency and suggesting the best conflict resolution methods. Legal frameworks continue to have gaps that need be properly addressed. Due to communication gaps in conversions from customary to public land, occupants of the land are kept unaware of such changes until the eviction day rendering them landless, homeless, helpless, hopeless and destitute! Apparently, many citizens have limited knowledge on the history, types, conversions, policies and legislation, compensations etc, of land in Malawi. The recommendations provided in this book should help residents, landlords and professionals in the built environment including Architects, land Administrators, Quantity Surveyors, Land Surveyors, Property Managers, Estate Managers, Engineers etc. to handle land issues with professionalism and a lot of caution.