Featue of the Week
WITH a population of approximately 26,500 people, Luangwa District, located in the eastern part of Lusaka Province, bordering Chongwe District in the west, is one of the oldest settlements in Zambia. The district dates back to the 17th Century when a group of Portuguese colonialists established it as a trading post called Feira (Portuguese name for ‘market’) along with Zumbo in neighbouring Mozambique.
The two trading posts later flourished into present day towns called Luangwa in Zambia and Zumbo in Mozambique.
The district lies in the lowest part of Zambia composed of the Lower Zambezi and Luangwa Valley, with altitudes averaging 3,400 metres above sea level.
This low position of the district compounded by the fact that the two major rivers of Zambia – the Zambezi and Luangwa, meet here, makes both flooding and drought, a recurrent feature in Luangwa.
Covering an area of 3,471 square kilometres, Luangwa District has two chiefs namely Senior Chief Mburuma of the Nsenga-Luzi people in the North and Chief Mphuka of the Chikunda people in the south whose subjects are concentrated along the Zambezi and Luangwa rivers where they are engaged in subsistence farming, small scale fishing and traditional mat making using reeds.
Luangwa has various opportunities which can be harnessed to facilitate development.
They include tourist features such as the confluence (meeting point) of the Zambezi and Luangwa rivers, the Lower Zambezi National Park and the Rufunsa Game Management Area.
The district also has several lodges and guest houses in addition to many historical sites such as but not limited to the big baobab tree once used by slave traders as a resting place and a baobab tree called ‘Nyamfiti’ meaning a place where suspected wizards and witches were thrown to their death.
Luangwa also has a site where the famous explorer, missionary David Livingstone, rested when he crossed the Zambezi river on his way to the north.
Devils Gate in Kavalamanja (narrow point on the Zambezi River) and the point where the Ngoni people crossed the Zambezi Rivers from down south, in 1835 on eclipse day, are also some of the features of great tourist attraction.
The district also has a rich cultural heritage of the Chikunda and Nsenga – Luzi people embodied in the Dantho and Mbambala traditional ceremonies celebrated annually.
Luangwa is further endowed with natural resources such as land, water, forests and minerals, which could support a wide range of economic activities.
Its location at the borders of neighbouring Mozambique and Zimbabwe provides the district with the advantage to develop into a trade centre and transit point of commerce, trade and industry.
In view of the foregoing, the Government has prioritised infrastructure development in Luangwa as key to unlocking the vast investment potential and launch the district on the road to development.
Emphasis is being placed on the development of the social sector such the rehabilitation and construction of schools, health centres, office accommodation, roads and other social amenities.
Recently, Lusaka Province Minister Mr Charles Shawa, who is also Fiera member of Parliament, was in Luangwa to inspect progress on various development projects.
During a meeting with heads of Government and parastatal organisations in the council chamber, District Commissioner Stanlous Kalunga thanked Government for constructing the first ever day high school at a cost of K15 billion.
The Government had also provided K360 million for upgrading Mangelengele and Kaluluzi Community Schools and turning them into fully fledged Government schools.
Additional classroom blocks were being built at various schools in the district such as Kakaro and Chirirwe basic schools, while for the first time since Zambia gained independence, people of Chilukusha village now have a basic school.
In the health sector, extension of the laboratory and construction of a TB corner at Luangwa Boma Clinic is progressing well at a cost of close to K1 billion.
When completed, the laboratory will comprise among other facilities a chemistry section, microbiology and blood bank which are vital tools in the delivery of quality health care to the people.
“Kasinsa Rural Health Centre is being extended at a cost of K547 million. Works begun on 24 January, 2010 and are on schedule,” said Captain Kalunga.
Through the ministry of Home Affairs, the Government has also started the construction of a multi-billion-kwacha office block for the department of National Registration in Luangwa.
When completed in eight months time, the office block will bring under one roof the processing and issuance of various citizenship documents such as national registration cards, passports, birth certificates, among others.
Captain Kalunga also said construction of a community radio station was in its final phase with funding from the Constituency Development Fund, CDF.
The station, which is located on a hill at Katondwe Mission, is expected to hit the airwaves in the course of the year.
Futhermore, construction of a 25km power line has been completed to enable ZESCO export electricity from its thermal sub-station in Luangwa to the Mozambican border town of Zumbo.
The DC said the construction of the power line to Zumbo across the Zambezi River is testimony of the warm relations existing between Zambia and Mozambique.
He said the power line will also be of great benefit to residents on the Zambian side who will be allowed tap power from it along the 25km stretch to Zumbo.
In his address, Mr Shawa said development in Luangwa, like the rest of the country, would not be achieved overnight.
“Development is not a revolution but an evolution, it requires time and patience,” Mr Shawa said.
He, however, was quick to say that the various social and economic infrastructure projects taking place in the district were an indication of President Rupiah Banda’s commitment to improving the living standards of Zambians.
Mr Shawa disclosed that a total of K914 million has been set-aside in this year’s Budget for road infrastructure in Luangwa.
Out of this amount, K715 million will be spent on the maintenance of the main road (D145) from Luangwa Bridge to the Boma while the remainder will go towards grading and rehabilitation of feeder roads in the district.
He said plans are also afoot to build a skills training centre in Luangwa to equip youths with various income generating skills while consideration is also being given to putting up street lights in the township in order to make the movement of people safer and easier at night.
“All these and other developments show that president Banda has a passion for the well-being of the people of Zambia. We need to support the pace he has set in developing the country,” said Mr Shawa.
Later, when he inspected the site where the high school is being built, Mr Shawa was happy to note that the Chinese contractor, Datong, has provided employment to over 60 local people in the construction of the school.
He advised the Zambian employees to learn from the Chinese company vital construction skills during the two-year construction period so that they can set up their own small-scale construction companies at the end of the project.
“On behalf of Government, I want to commend you for the good work you are doing in the construction of this school and employing a number of local people especially youths.
“To you young people employed here, please, learn the skills of construction from this company so that you can set up your own small scale construction companies when this project is over. Two years that this project is scheduled to last is too long for you to walk out empty handed in terms of skill,” said Mr Shawa.
At Chamitondo wildlife camp under ZAWA, Mr Shawa heard that more wildlife officers are needed to fight the rising levels of poaching in the Lower Zambezi National Park in Luangwa.
Officer in-charge at the camp Someson Banda told the provincial minister that his team of 14 officers and 10 village scouts were doing their best but were overstretched to adequately patrol the area.
He said 30 officers were needed to maximally secure the animals from poachers who launch their poaching raids from Rufunsa.
Mr Banda also appealed to the provincial minister to help sink a borehole at the camp to end the water problems the officers and their families were facing.
In reply, Mr Shawa commended the ZAWA officers for the good work they are doing to protect the wildlife despite the various challenges.
Luangwa has potential to become a prime tourist attraction hence the need to step up efforts to conserve the wildlife.
The minister said 78 boreholes would be sunk in Luangwa District this year and he would ensure Chamitondo Wildlife Camp was not omitted on the list of beneficiaries.
He also advised the officers at the camp to apply for funds under CDF to build decent houses with the help of the local community.
Later, during a function with Church leaders from various denominations, Mr Shawa commended the Church in Luangwa for working closely with Government in taking development to the people.
He said Government was happy with the support it had continued to receive from the church in the delivery of social services to the people.
“We thank you for the good work you have continued to do for the people of Luangwa in partnership with the Government. Continue to pray for President Banda and his Government so that he continues to lead this country to greater heights,” said Mr Shawa.
With such resolve and commitment by Government and support from the people, the development of Luangwa is not in doubt.—ZANIS