President Hichilema To Give Chirundu and Itezhi Districts Back To Southern Province

President Hakainde Hichilema has announced plans to reallocate Chirundu District and Itezhi-tezhi District to Southern Province following a vote by local leaders.

Speaking to the media, the president said the decision followed consultations with stakeholders and a careful consideration of the law, in particular the Provincial and District Boundaries Act.  

Last month, chiefs in Itezhi-tezhi District unanimously voted to reallocate the district from Central to Southern Province. Likewise, chiefs in Chirundu District have been clamouring for the region to be realigned from Lusaka Province. 

Following yesterday’s meeting, Chief Musungwa explained that the decision to place Itezhi-tezhi District in Central Province had been done without consideration for the local people or their sense of cultural identity.

He added that it made little practical sense for people in Itezhi District to use Kabwe as their provincial capital when Choma is much closer.

“You can imagine, we have to pass through a heavily congested town like Lusaka to reach Kabwe when Choma is just a stone’s throw away. Why should we be forced to cover this long distance to Kabwe when we are better off with Choma before,” he said.

Meanwhile, Itezhi tezhi MP Twambo Mutinta said there was a general consensus in the district that going back to Southern Province would make economic sense.

President Hichilema’s spokesperson Anthony Bwalya said the president was looking into the matter carefully and giving it “considerable attention”.

Itezhi tezhi and Chirundi Districts were originally allocated to Central and Lusaka Provinces by the late President Michael Sata in 2012.