Chief Imwiko Says Barotseland’s Land Rules Help Protect the Environment

In Barotseland, acquiring land for investment is not a simple process. Applications pass through several layers of traditional authority, with committees assessing proposed allocations before approval is granted.

Senior Chief Imwiko of Mwandi and Sesheke districts says the system has helped safeguard the environment by making land alienation more rigorous and subjecting requests to community-level scrutiny.

He outlined the process during the Environmental Protection Dialogue at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka, where discussions focused on environmental governance and sustainable development.

The traditional leader explained that Barotseland’s land administration structure runs from the Litunga through senior chiefs and Silabe Indunas to village headmen and local residents. Each level has a role in reviewing applications before land can be allocated.

An investor seeking land must first approach the villagers. If the request receives their recommendation, it proceeds to the village headman and then to the Silabe Indunas.

The Silabe Induna committee visits the proposed site and assesses the reasons for the application before deciding whether to support it. The District Kuta then carries out a further assessment, with the process culminating in the chief issuing a certificate of occupancy.

Chief Imwiko said the traditional structures were also being reformed to give women, young people and persons with disabilities a greater role in land administration.

Beyond controlling land allocation, he highlighted the connection between conservation and the needs of local communities, particularly access to water.

He cited the Simalaha Community Conservancy in his chiefdom, describing its approach as one centred on conserving natural resources while improving livelihoods. However, he said he had challenged conservation partner Peace Parks over the lack of water provision during its 11 years of involvement.

According to Chief Imwiko, the organisation has now agreed to pipe water from a river to communities located about five to seven kilometres away.

He also pointed to Liuwa National Park in Kalabo District as an example of how water provision can support conservation. He said African Parks, which manages the park, had supplied water to almost every school and to wildlife.

The chief observed that animals which previously migrated to Angola during the dry months of September and October were now staying in the area because water was available.

Looking ahead, Chief Imwiko said his chiefdom intended to establish another wildlife conservation area within the next one to two years. He urged partners to support water supply initiatives in Mwandi and Sesheke, which he described as drought-prone districts.

His remarks placed community needs at the centre of conservation, highlighting the importance of combining environmental protection with access to essential resources and meaningful local participation.