Inclusive Growth in Action

... REA gets the credit for electrifying Maheba Refugee Settlement and surrounding host communities in North-Western Province.

By Francis Maingaila

Lusaka, Zambia24 - (03-05-2025) – The Rural Electrification Authority (REA) has signed a strategic implementation agreement with the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security to execute Phase 2 of the Zambia Refugee and Host Communities Project (ZRHCP), focusing on electrifying the Maheba Refugee Settlement and surrounding host communities in North-Western Province.

This inclusive development initiative, supported by the World Bank, aims to provide both on-grid and off-grid electrification solutions to underserved refugee populations and neighboring Zambian communities, including Kanyang’a, Manyama, and Mutanda—areas long overlooked in national development efforts.

The agreement marks the official launch of Phase 2 of the ZRHCP, as the Zambian government reaffirms its resolve to uplift vulnerable populations through equitable access to energy and essential services.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, REA Chief Executive Officer Linus Chanda described the agreement as not only a game changer but also a “critical milestone” in advancing Zambia’s inclusive development agenda.

“This project is not just about lighting homes, but about powering community potential and enabling people to thrive,” Chanda said. 

“It reflects our dedication to inclusive development, as pledged at the Global Refugee Forum in Geneva in December 2023.”

Chanda emphasized that access to electricity has a transformational impact, far beyond household lighting.

“It influences education, health services, local businesses, and overall community safety. Electricity is a foundation for empowerment,” he explained.

He added that the agreement would yield long-lasting social and economic benefits.

“This signing marks a significant step in advancing the government’s pledge to improve the quality of life for both forcibly displaced persons and host communities.”

The electrification initiative forms part of the broader Zambia Refugees and Hosting Communities Project, implemented in collaboration with the World Bank and UNHCR. The project aims to improve infrastructure and basic services in areas hosting displaced populations.

Under the new agreement, REA will provide technical assistance in several critical areas.

“REA will lead on community mobilisation, project scoping, economic and financial analysis, environmental and social impact assessments, tender preparation, and contractor supervision,” Chanda said.

He further stressed the long-term value of the partnership.

“This partnership lays the foundation for lasting impact. By strengthening resilience and enabling growth, it supports our vision for an inclusive and empowered Zambia.”

Speaking at the same event in Lusaka, Dickson Matembo, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security, hailed the signing of this landmark agreement under the ZRHCP as a major milestone in advancing inclusive development and improving service delivery in marginalized areas.

Matembo emphasized that the agreement reflects the government’s commitment to ensuring that refugees and host communities enjoy equal rights, dignity, and access to opportunity alongside all Zambians.

“This is not merely a bureaucratic formality,” Matembo said. 

“It is a clear demonstration of our government’s resolve to deliver equitable development and improved services to some of the country’s most vulnerable communities.”

The agreement operationalizes Part 2.2 of the ZRHCP, which mandates REA to extend electrification to marginalized refugee settlements and surrounding host communities that have historically been excluded from national development efforts.

Matembo underscored the critical role of reliable and sustainable energy access in fostering socio-economic resilience. 

He noted that many of these communities currently rely on diesel generators and basic solar lanterns, which are unsafe, unreliable, and costly.

“The lack of sustainable energy severely limits the potential of these communities and curtails their ability to achieve self-reliance and economic growth,” he said.

The energy component of the ZRHCP, supported by the World Bank, aims to strengthen access to essential services such as education, health care, and livelihoods by providing clean, affordable, and dependable power.

The signing ceremony brought together representatives from the Office of the Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR, World Bank officials, and other cooperating partners. All pledged continued collaboration to ensure effective and timely project implementation.

With the agreement now in place, stakeholders expressed optimism that electrification will improve living conditions, spur local economic activity, and foster peaceful coexistence between refugees and host communities.

“This initiative represents one of the most transformative efforts targeting vulnerable populations in Zambia,” Matembo concluded, “and reaffirms our dedication to inclusive growth and inter-agency cooperation.”

Also speaking at the event, World Bank Representative Njavwa Chilufya described the agreement as a key milestone within the Zambia Refugee and Host Communities Project, which the Bank is financing.

The project seeks to improve living conditions for both refugees and their host communities through enhanced access to education, healthcare, livelihood opportunities, and now sustainable energy.

“We are thrilled to witness this agreement. It builds on the work previously undertaken by UNHCR and marks another important step in providing meaningful support to vulnerable populations,” Chilufya said.

She reaffirmed the World Bank’s strong commitment to supporting Zambia’s efforts to improve the welfare of refugees and host communities through coordinated, multi-sectoral interventions.

“The success of such initiatives depends on effective collaboration among government departments and cooperating partners. What we are witnessing today is proof that when these entities come together, positive and sustainable outcomes can be achieved,” Chilufya added.

The Zambia Refugee and Host Communities Project represents a broader effort by development partners to address the long-term needs of displaced populations while promoting social cohesion and economic inclusion.

Chilufya reiterated the Bank’s readiness to continue supporting Zambia throughout the project’s implementation, emphasizing the importance of delivering tangible benefits on the ground.

“As your cooperating partners, we remain fully committed to supporting this process and look forward to the positive impact this partnership will have for refugees and host communities,” she concluded.

A voice from the ground

Among the residents of Maheba Refugee Settlement, the announcement brought renewed hope. Anna Kalunga, a 32-year-old single mother of three, shared what electrification means to her family:

“For years, my children have studied by candlelight, and we’ve lived in fear when the nights fall. Electricity will change everything for us. It means safety, longer school hours, and the chance to start a small business,” she said with a hopeful smile.

“We don’t want handouts. We want opportunity—and light brings opportunity.”

Traditional leadership speaks

Chief Mumena of the Kaonde people, whose chiefdom host Maheba, not only welcomed the initiative as a long-overdue development that will transform lives across his jurisdiction but also praised the REA for the good job its doing on behalf of the Republic of Zambia.

“For too long, my people have lived in darkness—literally and economically,” said Chief Mumena said in an exclusive telephone interview 

“This electrification project is a major opportunity to unlock the potential of our communities.”

He noted that power will enhance productivity in schools and health facilities, attract small-scale industries, and reduce the rural-urban migration that has weakened local economies.

“Many of our young people leave for towns in search of opportunities. But with electricity, they can stay and start businesses—welding shops, barbershops, charging stations, and more. It gives them a reason to remain and build,” he explained.

Chief Mumena further urged his people to take full ownership of the initiative and protect the infrastructure once implemented.

“This is not just a gift. It is an investment in our future. We must guard it and ensure it benefits generations to come.”

He also praised the inclusive nature of the project, which does not segregate between refugee and host but uplifts all.

“When refugees and our people benefit equally, we build unity and peace. This is how development should be done.”