PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has declared Kalumbila and Mushindano areas in North Western province as districts.
Kalumbila and Mushindano were part of Solwezi district situated in Solwezi West and East respectively in North Western Province.
President Lungu was prompted to declare the two areas as districts following the impressive construction of Kalumbila town developed by First Quantum Minerals (FQM) owners of Kulumbia mines.
Mr Lungu declared Mushindano as a district with a call that it should emulate the modern developed Kalumbila town by FQM.
He said this yesterday when he unveiled the foundation stone for Kalumbila town in Solwezi district, North Western province.
“As it is, I have made a decision that Solwezi West will become a district and should be a model town, for new towns to be developed in the country in the near future.
“In the same vain I would like to declare Mushindano town in Solwezi East as a district. I want it to emulate the development here in Kalumbila,” Mr Lungu said.
FQM has developed a modern town in Kalumbila with all the necessary social facilities, with high and low cost houses to offer accommodation for more than 15,000 people by the year 2020.
The town currently has over 5,000 people since it was developed 18 months ago.
Earlier President Lungu commissioned the US$ 2.1 billion Sential Copper Mine at Kalumbila Minerals owned by FQM.
Sential Copper Mine is the biggest copper mine in Zambia and once fully operation would employ 3,064 people.
Development of the mine started three years ago and the processing of copper ore started six months ago.
Assistant general manager of Kansanshi minerals Tristan Pascall described the project as a success.
Mr Pascall said the company was doing everything possible to train local people to take over the management and operation of the mine and other investments.
He said low power supply to the mine was one of the major challenges to its operation as it was currently receiving only 45 mega watts (MW) of electricity instead of 160 MW.
However, the mine is expected to be supplied with 160MW once ZESCO commissions the new power line under construction to supply sufficient power for its operation.
“We have entered into partnership with ZESCO to construct a new power line to feed the mine all the way from Lusaka West. It has five substations up to this place which have been completed and we will commission on September 18,” Mr Pascall said.
President Lungu is in the province for a two days official visit.
The Presidents would also attend the Likumbi Liamize today.
He is accompanied by Justice minister Ngosa Simbyakula, Chiefs and Traditional affairs minister Joseph Katema, Mines, Energy and Water Development Minister Christopher Yaluma, Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education minister Michael Kaingu.
Others are special assistant to the President for Economic affairs Hibeene Mwiinga, special assistant to the President for political affairs Kaizer Zulu, Patriotic Front (PF) deputy secretary general Mumbi Phiri and other government officials.
What’s wrong with the Zambian presidency? Just wake and then you just declare let there be light?? I never thought we will get another new district after late MCS’s uncoordinated development.
This man who was lawyer, wear a suit with boots??,,, them am not surprise is he declares chibolya a dristrict next time
@Ndobo, boots on suits is that I can say Edgar got it as a perfect fashion. Dress wise, drinking habits and dancing, we are in same league.
Something wrong with LT, why not mention or report on why people in Solwezi welcomed Edgar & PF with UPND chants? That was unseen in Zambian history except in last months of RB’s.
BBC reported, ZWD , Muvi TV, The Post…. among others? Seriously Solwezi will need Tasila Lungu’s intervention like in Kasama.
That is what is called pragmatism my friend. we don’t need a detailed feasibility study and a commission of inquiry to declare a district. Both public and private sector investments will now be induced to flow into the two districts.
This BUM Edgar is very wasteful he just flew in from Namibia on his extended holiday on Friday in the GRZ Challenger immediately collects his empty tins of ministers jumps on another ZAF aircraft to Solwezi then from there jumps on a helicopter to tour FQM mines…surely you don’t need to be an accountant to work out how much this bum has wasted on hotel accommodation, jet fuel, allowances, security in a space of 7 days.
@Nostradamus
naiwe!!,,,, lawyers in boots are only found ku texas,, Zambia lawyers studies british law amoung other courses,,, therefore ka dressing should be `the queen`s dressing culture`
I have no issue with the NUMBER of districts, but the CRITERION used to establish them. Everywhere in the world, people and places develop better and quicker if they are managed/administered from close proximity. We need a Regional and Town Demarcation Board that will develop a proper criteria for establishing towns and provinces in the most practical, manageable, cost effective and development oriented manner.
What we need is two more Kariba hydropower stations, not two more Districts you F00L!
But obviously that is beyond your Jamesoni brain.
Can someone educate me, how many districts do we have in Zambia so far and what other technicalities PF taking into consideration by declaring a place a District other than the population of people living there and infrastructure wise.
Sata brought the number of Districts to 103. With the two Districts now they are 105.
Biggest challenges are infrastructure development for government offices and staff houses.
It s what has chocked government currently than the roads alone. Sata stopped declarations for new Districts coz Chikwanda was upset as this is a big venture to bring them to administration standards.
You have to put up Council offices separate from District administration and staff houses since we are stuck with District Commissioners. You also have to add a secondary School with Teachers houses. Water and sewer reticulation are also factors to consider. As one plans for a considerable population power supply requires to be put in place. The place should have a minimum of 12-14 political wards.
A…
@kalanga – on top of that each province has a Provincial Minister and a PS, then these DCs..you have to ask yourself what do all these people do from 9 to 5!!
PF presidents have a a disease syndrome called district. So every town now has to be called a district. Why can’t they develop Lusaka to be a model city in Africa than just being a gab age city. Why did QFM ask him to lay the foundation stone when it is not govt building the city. QFM should not allow people to move in these places and build unplanned settlements.
You Lusaka people are spoiled and don’t want your friends in rural areas to also enjoy what facilities you have in Lusaka. Some of you have never visited a village and cant appreciate what declaring a district means. Wake up ba UPND.
It is true. Lungu has caught Satas disease of waking up in the morning and doing the first thing that comes into his head without any consultation!
This is called “hangover thinking”.
It will be up to future politicians to repair and reverse the damage at enormous cost to the people of Zambia. Exactly the same as the Euro bonds.
Future generations will curse the memory of Sata, Lungu and their PF as they wallow in poverty!
@Chinyama Chamapiduzi – QFM??? Are you listening to the radio whilst blogging? Laughable indeed
@ Chopper
The lazy bum drunk so much Windhoek lager in Namibia the night before… so guilty conscience prompted him to do some thing “extraordinary” especially with by elections around the corner.
Does lungu and the pf know that those small houses constructed by fqm in kalumbila town are costing half of the poor miner’s salary for rentals? A two bedroom house (small) is going at k1800 per month, plus water and electricity this goes to k2200 and avarage salary for a miner is k4200, the only primary school in kalumbila is at k900 per term per child talk of the hospital k350 per month per family. What district what life.
That was Sata’s hobby “creating new districts”.Does the president have thepower to”create districts”?And this guy is a lawyer did he think of the legal ramifications?Anyway he said he had no vision and he is just following in Sata’s footsteps.I remember the late illiterate dictator pronouncing “I have decided to create a district”
Its the “deaf leading the blind” type of shambolic myopic leadership….old man deadwood Sata (MHSRIP) was very incompetent and his dated 1960s mindset was absolutely obsolete taking the country nowhere even Fossil Chikwanda was afraid every time his nephew was flying to visit a boma in the country.
Comment: Good move. But we shall vote for HH and UPND.
If you know how big solwezi town is you wouldn’t be questioning the need to disintegrate it. This district being the biggest in Zambia has vast arid land of which the coming up of kalumbila lumwana which are hundreds km from solwezi should just be independent of solwezi. I totally support the move.
The worst iideot of the century.
VIVA LUNGU came 2016 . ileisa VIVA EL VIVA VIVA
GOOD MOVE
How is it going with that super software system meant to map and log every single street and detail so the councils can be run more effectively. As it also logs ownership I wonder if those who wish to hide ownership started to look at the wonder system as too revelatory…hee hee
SO, BA LT WHERE IS THE IMPRESSIVE CONSTRUCTION OF KALUMBILA. ARE WE STILL IN STONE-AGE JOURNALISM. PLEASE, ADEQUATELY INFORM THE READERSHIP. THERE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AN IMAGE OF PART OF KALUMILA AND THE POOR STATE OF THE OTHER FORMED TOWN- MUSHINDANO.
Does Lungu consider the buggage that comes along with such a declaration? Notwithstanding, if the benefits outweigh the expenses, so be it. If not so, he should reconsider his stand.
The lazy reckless bum is sitting on borrowed EUROBOND money….he is spending money like a foolish drunk who has just won the lottery and he is spoiled for choice in a liquor store.
Comment:i totally support the move. Those who condem have neve been to the area and they dont know how vast the area is. Its good coz development will even reach to peopple at remotiest place.
Next to be dismantled should be Mpika. We need two more districts out of Mpika for effective decentralization.
If you call these Presidential directives as stimulus for so called development…why do these “powerful” leaders declare Lusaka a garbage free city and do some proper work.
This is a very good move and it will bring development to the people. From Solwezi to Kalumbila in Chief musele and Tambo is about 150 to 200 km. The from Solwezi to Mushindamo is 125 km. We should decentralize the operations of the government hence the need for more districts, the better roads, schools, healthy centers, then more money.
Comment: Good move although this is political wait and see mmd candidate who pulled frm contesting solwezi west will be appointed dc to one of these,waitng to see more distrits forms prior to 2016 elections, thanks to my mbuyas kaondes are so wise they will still vote for upnd they cant be bought so cheap
“As it is, I have made a decision that Solwezi West will become a district” …”In the same vain I would like to declare Mushindano town in Solwezi East as a district” … says the Almighty JEC Lungu
DECLARING districts when Solwezi town has only one tarred road…utter folly of the highest order!!
What a very lazy visionless bum this Edgar is….with all these silly declarations one would be mistaken for thinking we are very rich country but in reality we are having to borrow to supplement our budget…now this LAZY empty tin will add new DCs on that bloated civil service payroll. The utterly lazy bum just got back from his extended holiday from Namibia and he is off again on a 2 day tour in NW…this bum is so work shy that it makes my skin cringe every time i see him jumping off a plane.
Surely how can you stand on the platform and state that Kalumbila and Mushindano will be model towns in the country when they are wholly being developed by a private company… are you not even ashamed that FQM will be pulling most off its power from as far as Botswana because Zambians are…
CONT’D….because Zambians are unreliable…are you not ashamed YOU Edgar??
Zambians WAKE UP from your docility and kick this skiving bum OUT…WE CAN DO BETTER THAN THIS MEDIOCRITY!!
In fact, if just saw how Solwezi is developing in a haphazard manner and dosorganised manner, you wonder how Kalumbila and Mushindano will pan out.
We need planners mwebantu
The next thing we shall hear is Mandevu, Kabanana, Kwa George and Kalingaliga being declared Districts in Lusaka Provice. Ku lole sha ko fye
The bum was inspired on his holiday in Namibia by the cleaniness and baby smooth tarred roads so he thinks by declaring them districts they will clean themselves.
I wish Zambians ever tried the devolved (County) system of governance. With leaders of the the right credentials, Zambians can achieve what they have not achieved since independence in a record time. The country can be divided in about 50 counties ( for example) and each county can be allocated it’s own funds to do all the it’s duties depending on priority without the national govt’s interference. Fund allocation depends on geographical and infrustructural factors. Such governors (county leaders) are thoroughly vetted on academic qualifications and corruption records before being endorsed for parliamentary elections. Such a system works competitively talking by experience. Colonial systems (districts) are outdated. Anyway, I am just expressing my humble opinion.
Just look at the Kenyan system…it’s working better than the system they had before.
You have neglected the number one paramount chief Kalonga Gawa undi according to chiefs hierarchy and you have chosen to go and attend a small traditional ceremony.Shame!Because of bye elections which are taking place in solwezi West you have neglected the number one chief in the country because of his quietness and he does not involve himself in politics and His loyal highness is not a beggar like the other chief of the Ngoni who is also illiterate.Viva paramount chief Gawa undi!
thats a gud move those in oposition cant see and like it because they are too selfish..viva Lungu viva pf
Chibombo district must also be split
in all honesty there’s need for more splitting of this country into more wards,districts and provinces for very obvious reasons
in all honesty this country needs splitting into more wards,districts and provinces for very obvious reasons
Comment: One sees the hand of Lucky Mulusa in the decision to create the two districts.
Do we have a legislative wing of government or just a department of the executive? Something is really wrong in Zambia to say we have a democracy as it is more of autocracy! The president is dictatorial or is it authoritarian to willy nilly make declarations with a potential to disrupt administration with such unplanned off-the-cuff decisions! If there will be no challenge from the legislative wing then Zambian leadership is sick and non inspirational at all. Much as creation of districts could propel development it has to undergo systematic approach and planning not aligned to whims of appeasement and divisiveness for advantageous pecuniary gains.
oOn this declaration. Am with the President. Kalumbila deserve to be a district. Though too soon. it was a matter of time. FQM has invested heavily, planned the city well and it will protect it from that wanton planners at Solwezi Council. The place is so far from Solwezi town to effectively administer. Get there and you will agree with Edgar Lungu for once. Am not a PF cadre but on kalumbila I say kudus. not knowing on mushindano.atio
oppositions every time its jelos, districts they bring development and also job creation. thanks.