The Minister of Urban and Rural Development, James Sankwasa, has confronted the Katima Mulilo Town Council over a controversial land-vehicle exchange.

The minister demanded an immediate review of the procedure for valuing the exchanged vehicles versus the land.

The minister requested a tour of the plots traded for vehicles during his visit. 

According to the Chief Executive Officer, Raphael Liswaniso, the first plot visited right by the riverbanks was initially not for sale.

However, the investor proposed an offer for the waterlogged plot, but its value is not revealed.

"Every land in this country belongs to the state, so if the land is outside the jurisdiction of the council of which I know is inside the jurisdiction of the council, it does not mean it becomes free for all. That you can give it away as you want; if there is no value, then you keep it. And the act is very clear: you don't expropriate land without ministerial approval. Whether it's a council, whether it's a regional council or whatever. Even farmers who sell their land have to get through government procedures," said Sankwasa.

The minister also wanted to know how many vehicles the council received for the exchange of land.

The third plot visited measured over 28,000 square meters. 

The Chairperson of the Management Committee, Namangolwa Mapenzi, tried to explain herself, and that is when the minister gave a directive that all vehicles collected must be returned to their owners.