Chiengi District with headquarters at

Chiengi Chiengi or is a historic colonial boma of the British Empire in central Africa and today is a settlement in the Luapula Province of Zambia, and headquarters of Chiengi District. Chiengi is in the north-east corner of Lake Mweru, and at the foot o ...

is the smallest and most northerly district in the Luapula Province of Zambia and was carved out of Nchelenge District after Zambia's independence. As of the 2010 Zambian Census, the district had a population of 109,147 people. Most of its population live in fishing villages along the 70 km (approx.) of the north-east shore of Lake Mweru which lies within the district. The largest settlement is Puta, 5 km south of Chiengi town, named after

Chief Puta Chief may refer to: Title or rank Military and law enforcement * Chief master sergeant, the ninth, and highest, enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force * Chief of police, the head of a police department * Chief of the boa ...

. The district is bounded by the

DR Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo (french: République démocratique du Congo (RDC), colloquially "La RDC" ), informally Congo-Kinshasa, DR Congo, the DRC, the DROC, or the Congo, and formerly and also colloquially Zaire, is a country in ...

border in the north,

Kaputa District Kaputa District is a district of Zambia, located in Northern Province. The capital lies at Kaputa. As of the 2000 Zambian Census, the district had a population of 87,233 people. History In March 2020, the district experienced severe flooding a ...

in the east and the

Kalungwishi River The Kalungwishi River flows west in northern Zambia into Lake Mweru. It is known for its waterfalls, including the Lumangwe Falls, Kabweluma Falls, Kundabwika Falls and Mumbuluma Falls. There are plans to build two hydro power plants on the ...

in the south.Google Earth
/ref> The eastern edge of the district is a hilly wilderness, partly in the

Mweru Wantipa National Park Mweru Wantipa National Park is named after Lake Mweru Wantipa in the Northern Province, Zambia, Northern Province of Zambia. Once hosting abundant wildlife including lion, elephant, and black rhinoceros, it has had no management and protection fo ...

. The hills have always been known for their wildlife, early colonial officers sustained themselves through hunting. The district

commissioner A commissioner (commonly abbreviated as Comm'r) is, in principle, a member of a commission or an individual who has been given a commission (official charge or authority to do something). In practice, the title of commissioner has evolved to in ...

's residence had wooden bars on the verandah so that the officer could sit there in the evening while lions roamed through the settlement.Mr Justice J B Thomson
"Memories of Abandoned Bomas No. 8: Chiengi"
''

Northern Rhodesia Journal The ''Northern Rhodesia Journal'', often referred to simply as "NRJ", was produced between 1950 and 1965, by the Northern Rhodesian Government Printer, to record some of the early history of Northern Rhodesia. It is one of the most important sourc ...

'', Vol II, No. 6 (1954), pp67−77. Elephants used to be seen on the dambo below the boma, but most of the population in the district have been killed by poachers.Camerapix: "Spectrum Guide to Zambia." Camerapix International Publishing, Nairobi, 1996. Chiengi District today is undeveloped and suffers from a lack of

infrastructure Infrastructure is the set of facilities and systems that serve a country, city, or other area, and encompasses the services and facilities necessary for its economy, households and firms to function. Infrastructure is composed of public and priv ...

. The main road is of gravel construction and is frequently cut by rains and collapsing bridges; there is no telephone or television service although plans are in hand for a satellite link, subject to securing adequate funding.''The Times of Zambia'' online: "Chienge district still lagging behind" by Austin Kalumba
. Website accessed 22 April 2007. Quote: "The major hindrance has been the bad road which can only be likened to the notorious 1970’s Hell Run."

References

https://www.daily-mail.co.zm/?p=27404 {{coord, 8.4828, S, 28.9347, E, source:wikidata, display=title Districts of Luapula Province