Chasefu’s Rise from Neglect

Nyambose Showcases Transformation Powered by CDF

By Francis Maingaila 

Lusaka, Zambia24 - (July 30, 2025) - Chasefu Member of Parliament Mishek Nyambose says his constituency, long neglected since Zambia’s independence, has undergone significant transformation thanks to increased Constituency Development Fund (CDF) allocations introduced under the UPND administration.

Speaking during a media briefing in Lusaka, Nyambose—who is also Director of the Parliamentary Committee on Local Government Accounts—detailed how development in Chasefu, a rural constituency in Eastern Province, was historically stagnant but is now thriving with improved infrastructure, access to education and health services, water, and economic empowerment.

 “Before 2021, Chasefu was not just underdeveloped—it was invisible. There were no roads, no desks, no water facilities, and no mortuary. Our children learned in thatched huts, sometimes in collapsed buildings. This is the reality we inherited,” Nyambose said.

CDF: The Game-Changer in Rural Development

Nyambose attributed the turnaround to the New Dawn government’s bold decision to raise the annual CDF from a modest K1.6 million to K25.7 million in 2022, K28.3 million in 2023, K30.6 million in 2024, and most recently K36.1 million for 2025.

He commended President Hakainde Hichilema for ensuring that these funds are released fairly and equitably across all constituencies, irrespective of political affiliation.

“That is good leadership. I have no shame in saying so,” Nyambose said. “CDF has become the oxygen of rural development.”

Road Rehabilitation and Accessibility

Chasefu, he said, has seen road rehabilitation on a scale never witnessed before. The constituency acquired a grader worth K2.06 million, a tipper truck, and a tractor with a trailer to begin grading roads that had been impassable since independence.

Roads like the Pumani–Wamboa stretch, once neglected for decades, are now accessible. 

Additionally, a bulldozer has been deployed to open a 10-kilometre stretch in Chanja Hills, part of a 24-kilometre project to open up previously inaccessible terrain.

“There were no roads in Chasefu before 2021. But today, we’re opening up areas that were considered unreachable,” he emphasized.

Education: From Floors to Desks

Highlighting achievements in education, Nyambose revealed that 34 classroom blocks have been built across Chasefu since 2022, each equipped with desks for every learner.

 “Before 2021, children in most of our schools sat on the floor. Now, desks are not a luxury but a basic requirement,” he said.

The constituency also commenced construction of a long-demanded government boarding secondary school, with government committing K146 million to ensure its completion. 

The school has been championed by both traditional leaders and community members for years.

Additionally, Chasefu benefited from the government’s mass teacher recruitment, receiving 473 teachers, and the re-entry of over 13,000 children into the school system, made possible by the introduction of free education.

Healthcare Services Expanded

In the health sector, Nyambose outlined the construction of new health posts and maternity wings in underserved areas such as Malindula and Chambuzi. 

The constituency also established its first-ever mortuary—an achievement that he said brought dignity to grieving families who previously had to transport deceased loved ones to distant towns.

To improve working conditions in rural health centres, solar lighting systems are being installed in 14 facilities to replace the use of mobile phone flashlights by medical staff during night shifts.

“We cannot continue to accept that a nurse delivers a baby using a torch from her mobile phone. That era must end,” said the MP.

Water and Sanitation Challenges and Solutions

Nyambose acknowledged that while the government allocated 80 boreholes for Chasefu in 2022, only 39 were completed due to the failure of a contracted firm. He personally moved a motion in Parliament to terminate that contract.

In response, he said plans are underway for the constituency to procure its own borehole drilling rig to ensure that clean and reliable water reaches every village.

“We are done depending on non-performing contractors. With our own rig, we will bring water directly to the people,” he said.

Economic Empowerment Through Grants and Loans

Between 2022 and 2025, Chasefu Constituency disbursed over K18 million to empower youth, women, and cooperatives through a combination of grants and loans.

Grants disbursed:

2022: K1.92 million to 120 clubs

2023: K2.17 million to 100 cooperatives

2024: K2.35 million to 276 cooperatives

2025: K2.43 million to 110 cooperatives

Loans disbursed:

2022: K2.9 million to 21 groups

2023: K3.26 million to 28 groups

2024: K4.35 million to 52 groups

2025: K4.3 million to 28 groups (beneficiaries currently undergoing training)

 “This is not just money—it is opportunity. It is hope for households that never had access to formal credit,” said Nyambose.

Youth Skills Development

Hundreds of young people in Chasefu have undergone vocational training in areas such as bricklaying, hospitality, tailoring, agriculture, food processing, and driving.

For the first time, many are obtaining licenses and certification, giving them a foothold in Zambia’s growing labour market.

“We have moved from rhetoric to skills. Our youth are no longer idle—they are employable and ready,” Nyambose said.

Grassroots Planning and Participation

To strengthen local governance, the constituency procured 72 bicycles for Ward Development Committees (WDCs), improving mobility and outreach in remote areas. A bottom-up feedback system has also been created to incorporate community voices into decision-making and planning.

 “We are building a local government system that listens to villagers, not just bureaucrats,” Nyambose stated.

A Broader Vision for Zambia

The Independent MP concluded his address with a call for national inclusiveness, urging government and stakeholders to treat development as a right for every citizen—not just those in urban centres.

 “Zambia is bigger than Lusaka. Let us ensure that every district, every child, and every village has a chance—not just to survive, but to thrive,” he said.

Nyambose described the CDF policy as one of the most impactful decentralisation tools in Zambia’s history and reaffirmed his support for policies that uplift the rural majority.

 “The story of Chasefu is proof that development is possible when leadership is inclusive, transparent, and visionary.”