Itezhi-Tezhi District is a
district
A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...
of
Zambia
Zambia (), officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central Africa, Central, Southern Africa, Southern and East Africa, although it is typically referred to as being in Southern Africa at its most cent ...
, located in
Southern Province. The capital lies at
Itezhi-Tezhi
Itezhi-Tezhi is a small town in the Southern Province of Zambia. It is the seat of the Itezhi-Tezhi District. It lies west of the town of Namwala on the border of the Kafue National Park.
On 6 February 2012, President Michael Sata issued a dire ...
. As of the 2000 Zambian Census, the district had a population of 43111 people.
It was moved from
Southern Province to Central Province by President
Michael Sata
Michael Charles Chilufya Sata (6 July 1937 – 28 October 2014) was a Zambian politician who was the fifth president of Zambia, from 23 September 2011 until his death on 28 October 2014. A social democrat, he led the Patriotic Front (PF), a maj ...
in 2012
and later moved back to Southern province by president
Hakainde Hichilema
Hakainde Hichilema (born 4 June 1962) is a Zambian businessman, farmer, and politician who is the seventh and current president of Zambia since 24 August 2021. After having contested five previous elections in 2006, 2008, 2011, 2015 and 2016 ...
in 2021.
History
Before 2012, Itezhi-Tezhi was part of the
Southern Province of
Zambia
Zambia (), officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central Africa, Central, Southern Africa, Southern and East Africa, although it is typically referred to as being in Southern Africa at its most cent ...
.
Then, President
Michael Sata
Michael Charles Chilufya Sata (6 July 1937 – 28 October 2014) was a Zambian politician who was the fifth president of Zambia, from 23 September 2011 until his death on 28 October 2014. A social democrat, he led the Patriotic Front (PF), a maj ...
decided in 2012 to move Itezhi-Tezhi District from Southern Province to
Central Province, against the wishes of the local residents.
Nine years later, on 17 November 2021, President
Hakainde Hichilema
Hakainde Hichilema (born 4 June 1962) is a Zambian businessman, farmer, and politician who is the seventh and current president of Zambia since 24 August 2021. After having contested five previous elections in 2006, 2008, 2011, 2015 and 2016 ...
announced his intention to reverse the move done by late former President
Michael Sata
Michael Charles Chilufya Sata (6 July 1937 – 28 October 2014) was a Zambian politician who was the fifth president of Zambia, from 23 September 2011 until his death on 28 October 2014. A social democrat, he led the Patriotic Front (PF), a maj ...
.
President Hichilema officially declared Itezhi-Tezhi as part of
Southern Province (no-longer part of
Central Province), thereby returning the district to its original province.
This was agreed upon after an urgent request the previous month by the Chiefs of the area to return the district to its original province, where facilities are easier to reach (Southern Province's capital at
Choma is only a road away while Central Province's capital at
Kabwe
Kabwe is the capital of the Zambian Central Province and the Kabwe District, with a population estimated at 202,914 at the 2010 census. Named Broken Hill until 1966, it was founded when lead and zinc deposits were discovered in 1902. Kabwe also ...
is distant).
References
Districts of Southern Province, Zambia
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