Dickson Jere Welcomes Lands and Environment Court, Calls for Coordination With Lands Tribunal

Renowned Zambian lawyer and former Presidential Press Aide Dickson Jere has welcomed the planned establishment of a specialised Lands and Environment Court at the High Court, saying the move could help address the growing backlog of land disputes in Zambia. Jere said the proposed court division would provide specialised attention to matters relating to land […]

Renowned Zambian lawyer and former Presidential Press Aide Dickson Jere has welcomed the planned establishment of a specialised Lands and Environment Court at the High Court, saying the move could help address the growing backlog of land disputes in Zambia.

Jere said the proposed court division would provide specialised attention to matters relating to land and the environment, areas that he believes require faster and more efficient resolution.

He observed that land cases have contributed to congestion in the court system and often take a long time to be concluded, stressing that disputes involving land should be resolved expeditiously.

However, Jere said the effectiveness of the proposed Lands and Environment Court will partly depend on how it is coordinated with the existing Lands Tribunal, whose jurisdiction has recently been enhanced.

He noted that the Lands Tribunal was initially envisioned as a “fast track” mechanism for resolving land disputes, but questioned its current efficiency.

“This has been compounded by the fact that the members are part-time and do not sit everyday and everywhere in the country,” Jere said.

According to Jere, the challenge of land disputes in Zambia goes beyond the courts and requires broader administrative and institutional reforms.

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He said many land disputes are administrative in nature and arise because of inadequate administrative processes at different levels of land management.

Jere particularly pointed to local authorities, arguing that some councillors contribute to land-related problems by treating land as a commodity for sale for political survival.

He further highlighted the constitutional establishment of the Lands Commission, noting that although the 2016 Constitutional Amendment introduced the commission, successive governments have not operationalised it.

Jere believes that strengthening administrative processes could prevent many land disputes from reaching the courts in the first place.

He also called for reforms involving traditional land, including greater engagement with traditional leaders and chiefs in addressing land-related challenges.

His comments come amid ongoing efforts to improve Zambia’s system for resolving land disputes and strengthen the administration and management of land resources.

Jere’s position suggests that while the establishment of a specialised Lands and Environment Court could be an important step, it should form part of wider reforms involving the Judiciary, Lands Tribunal, local authorities, the Lands Commission and traditional leadership.

The ultimate goal, he said, should be to ensure that land disputes are resolved efficiently and that administrative mechanisms are strengthened before conflicts escalate into lengthy court battles.