Chief Chamuka of the Lenje people in Chisamba District, Central Province, has allocated land to 3,000 women to increase access to land among women in his chiefdom. The initiative aligns with the 2021 National Land Policy, which mandates that 50 percent of available land be reserved for women, with 20 percent set aside for youths and persons with disabilities.
Speaking to ZANIS, Chief Chamuka highlighted that giving women access to land empowers them to engage in income-generating ventures such as farming and construction of rental properties. He noted that social practices in the past made it difficult for women in rural areas to own land, as land ownership was historically reserved for men and a few elite women.
“We are empowering women with land because an empowered woman is a powerful woman. Most of the women who have acquired customary land certificates in my Chiefdom have converted it to state land, while some are still in the process of doing so,” Chief Chamuka said.
The Chief added that promoting gender equality in his chiefdom allows both men and women to improve their standards of living. He emphasized that land is a non-diminishing resource that can be used for settlement, as collateral for loans from banks, and for farming.
Chief Chamuka has encouraged more women in his area to acquire land through the proper application channels to ensure they benefit fully from available opportunities. This initiative is seen as a significant step toward enhancing women’s economic empowerment and promoting equitable land access in rural Zambia.