•President Edgar Lungu (left) talks to the Patriotic Front candidate for Solwezi West Constituency Martin Mbaya (second from right) at Solwezi Airport on Friday. Picture By SALIM HENRY/STATE HOUSE

By CATHERINE NYIRENDA –
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.
“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 more than 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 in Zambia and once fully operational will employ 3,064 people.
Development of the mine started three years ago while the processing of copper ore started six months ago.
Assistant general manager at 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 operations of the mine and other investments.
He said low power supply to the mine was one of the major challenges to its operations 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 operations.
“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-day official visit. He will also attend the Likumbi Liamize traditional ceremony today.
Mr Lungu 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 his Special Assistant for Economic Affairs Hibeene Mwiinga, his Special Assistant for Political Affairs Kaizer Zulu, Patriotic Front (PF) deputy secretary general Mumbi Phiri and other Government officials.