New trust, new hope for Matebo Chiefdom of Kalumbila

By MATETE SIMUTANDA in Kalumbila

THREE Chiefdoms: Mumena, Mukumbi and Matebo lie in the heart of the mineral-rich Kalumbila district of North western province.
Although it is expected that these areas develop rapidly due to economic activities they host, a tale has been told that Matebo remains the least developed chiefdom and due to family politics that have prolonged for over 19 years.
Despite the daily mining activities, Matebo chiefdom is infested with challenges such as lack of electricity, high level of unemployment among the youths and illiteracy, leaving it with no benefits from the hosted big mines like Lumwana.
But to help unite community members and ultimately speed up development in Matebo Chiefdom, a non-political, community-based Development Trust has been birthed under the theme: “Sustainable Development Through Community Cooperation”.
Named after the chiefdom, Matebo Royal Development trust (MRDT) will work with the community to tackle all past and current development issues that the chiefdom has been dodged with since independence.
Speaking at the launch, Trust chairman Burton Kasusute echoed that although Matebo Chiefdom is a hub of many natural resources, it had continued to lag behind in terms employment, water and electricity connectivity and many other social and economic developmental issues.
“Matebo Chiefdom is richly blessed with natural resources, yet it remains one of the least socially and economically developed chiefdoms in North Western Province,” Mr Kasusute lamented.
“We still record high unemployment among the youths, despite hosting Lumwana Mine. There has been Persisting poverty and high illiteracy levels, lack of access to electricity, as Matebo remains the only surrounding chiefdom not connected to the national grid. And there is no clean and safe drinking water, with people depending on unsafe wells,” he said.
He said the challenges called for more concerted action hence the coming in of Matebo Royal Development Trust which shall coordinate development, advocate for our people, and ensure inclusive growth.
Mr. Kasusute emphasised that the trust had been established with the aim of fostering development in Matebo Chiefdom without leaving any one behind.
He said this meant that the trust would uphold its mission to work with anyone willing without letting gender, age or even political affiliation get in the way.
Chairman Kasusute promised that the trust shall stand up for residents by covering the gap that has long stood between Matebo Chiefdom and cooperating partners.
“Our vision is anchored on One Zambia, One Nation, and our mission is to work with all people—youths, women, the vulnerable, and children—regardless of political affiliation, to bring development closer to the grassroots,” Mr. Kasusuti said.
“The Trust shall be a bridge between Matebo Chiefdom and cooperating partners— government, investors, donors, NGOs, and traditional leadership—so that our people are not left behind in the national development agenda,” Mr Kasusute said.
And Kalumbila Chamber of Commerce president, Benjamin Makando was in full agreement with the fact that Matebo had remained one of the most under developed chiefdoms in North-Western Province and in Kalumbila in particular and that it was in genuine need of initiatives like the Matebo Roya Development Trust.
He however cautioned that the trust’s agenda of bringing development would only come to fruition if all members of the community came together, unite, put all differences aside and fully supported the trust in the journey.
In a speech read on his behalf by Speaking in a speech read on his by Kalumbila Chamber of Commerce chief executive officer Jacob Chikomu, Mr. Makondo emphasised that there had never been a time where real development was achieved without full cooperation from people.
“Matebo is one of the chiefdoms that has remained behind. And what has led to that is family politics. But when I look at this title, Matebo Royal Development Trust, I know for sure that there can never be development if people are not united. Therefore, to achieve this development, we all need to unite,” he said.
“I know for sure that there can never be development if people are not united. There will not be development if people are not educated, if people don’t have good health, if people don’t have access to clean water and if women, youths and the disabled are not involved,” the president recounted,” Mr Makondo said.
Mr. Makondo further revealed that the Chamber of Commerce was ready to connect business minded people that did not have finances to financers through the trust.
He also revealed that there were a number of partners that wanted to do various developmental activities, among them establishing a solar project but were reluctant due to the high level of disunity in the Chiefdom.
“We will be able to connect people that don’t have finances to financers. We have got partners that want to develop solar projects and they need land. So now when we look at an area that has got no unity, how do you take such an investor there? You get worried,” he questioned.
“Because if we are not united, somebody will come and install solar panels at a school, someone will come and remove them and steal them because there will be no one to protect those infrastructures. But our desire is to help this chiefdom to also be able to benefit. So we are going to advocate, Mr Makondo stated.