Vice President Mutale Nalumango has commissioned a major electrification project and officiated at an international expo during a two-day working visit to North-Western Province.
On Saturday, October 11, in Zambezi District, the Vice President commissioned the over K7,000,000 33 kilovolts Rural Electrification Authority (REA) project in Chief Ishimas Chiefdom.
Speaking during the ceremony, Mrs. Nalumango said the government is committed to ensuring that rural communities are electrified to spur social and economic development across the country. She stated that decentralising development and completing projects for the people to benefit is key to the government’s agenda.
“This is important to the government, in our developmental agenda we want to decentralise resources and services through the inclusiveness of everyone and every place,” she said.
The Vice President said the project would ensure sectors like agriculture and health benefit from its offshoot, adding that when services are equitably shared, room for empowerment is created. She also described President Hakainde Hichilema as a methodical leader set on implementing and completing projects.
REA Acting Chief Executive Officer Alex Mbumba said the project extended the national grid by 9.2 kilometers and included an additional 8.8-kilometer distribution network. He disclosed that the Agency faces challenges with rural communities complaining about the high cost of connection, which currently stands at K4,846. To address this, REA is targeting to connect 23,695 rural households and businesses at a subsidised fee of K300.
“As of 6th October 2025, we made 15,178 connections including 13,750 households, 1,454 medium small enterprises and 154 public and social structures,” he said.
North-Western Province Minister Robert Lihefu said it was imperative for service-rendering projects to be completed. In a vote of thanks, Chief Chibwika commended the government for electrifying the chiefdom, which had lacked the service since independence. The project, which commenced in August 2024 and was completed in September 2025, has so far connected 18 government institutions and will connect 312 private houses.
On Sunday, October 12, the Vice President was in Kabompo to grace the Coalition for African Parliamentarians on Human, Animal Health and Environment (CAPAH) Expo.
Mrs. Nalumango said the government appreciates the support of traditional leaders towards the expo, noting that it shows stakeholders are supporting the central government’s developmental agenda.
“Today we are here for the groundbreaking of the construction of the CAPAH school, especially because the country is putting much emphasis on sciences,” she said.
She also thanked traditional leaders for facilitating the commencement of rice production in the district, which aligns with the government’s policy to diversify the economy. The Vice President emphasised the importance of peace and unity in national development.
Speaking at the event, Cliford Mundeya, representing Senior Chief Sikufele of Manyinga District, thanked the government for its developmental successes over the past four years. He said traditional leaders will support the government to ensure development is attained and that the CAPAH Expo should be a beacon of peace and unity.
The traditional leader also appealed to the government to materialise the construction of the North-Western University in Solwezi District, repair the deplorable Kabompo Chikenge road, connect the Chikenge area to the national power grid, and improve the road network across the Province.
