FAREWELL SPEECH BY LUSAKA MAYOR, HER WORSHIP MS. CHILANDO CHITANGALA
….Pays Gratitude to LCC & Lusaka Residents.
It was in September 2021 when elected officials were sworn in to mark the beginning of what would become a journey of a lifetime. Colourful as the inauguration ceremony was, it was not without apprehension on my part for several reasons a female leader of a male dominated team, coming from the opposition, and heading the local authority of the country’s capital city with formidable service delivery challenges.
I consider myself greatly honoured and privileged to have been given the opportunity by the people of Lusaka to work with the team of councilors and staff of the city council. As the five-year term of office comes to an end, my heart is full of gratitude to all those who contributed to making this journey a success and worth the while.
I am firmly convinced that we have made meaningful progress towards the Lusaka city we want. Given the enormity of the service delivery challenges of our city, it is not surprising that a lot of the good work you have been doing often went unnoticed.
Today, I am proud of the achievements we have recorded over the past few years.Through strategic partnerships, we mobilized over USD 13.5 million to advance climate resilience, early childhood development, food security, urban infrastructure, and disaster risk reduction across Lusaka. This includes:
• The Youth Climate Fund supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies at USD 150,000, projected to benefit over 20,000 Lusaka residents by empowering youth-led climate action and community solutions.
• The Early Childhood Development Project, supported by Big Win Philanthropy has strengthened early learning systems and child development outcomes in Lusaka, Chongwe, and other local authorities.
• The Climate Emergency Stocktake with USD 18,000 from Bloomberg Philanthropies to provide evidence-based data for climate action and policy.
In urban resilience and public safety, this included:
• The Pedestrian & Road Safety Project with Vital Strategies secured USD 50,000 out of an USD 80,000 policy value to improve road safety for over 4,000 residents.
• The City GAP Fund Drainage Improvement Project, supported by GIZ and the African Development Bank at USD 100,000.
• The CityGap Programme for Time Drainage System Improvement at another USD 100,000 focused on reducing flooding and enhancing urban resilience.
To strengthen food systems and markets, we implemented:
• The Afrifoodlinks Project and the Food Desk Initiative, both supported by ICLEI at USD 60,000 each.
• The Chilenje Market Transformation Project at USD 110,000 to renovate and modernize Chilenje Market for the dignity of traders.
Our disaster preparedness was advanced through:
• The DRR4Africa Project with ICLEI at USD 2.4 million, targeting disaster risk reduction in unplanned settlements.
• The DA-15 Project through which Lusaka joined Kigali, Yaoundé, Addis Ababa, Dar es Salaam, and Nairobi to strengthen municipal fiscal systems for inclusive urban recovery.
• The Voluntary Local Review on SDGs at USD 12,000, making Lusaka the first city in Zambia to localize, monitor, and advance the Sustainable Development Goals.
In addition, I have overseen improvements in Lusaka City Council’s revenue collection, which has subsequently enhanced service delivery to the people of Lusaka. Through the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), a number of impactful projects have been implemented under my leadership, including:
• Construction of maternity annexes.
• Construction of classroom blocks aimed at accommodating the increased pupil enrollment resulting from the Free Education Policy.
• Distribution of desks across Lusaka to ensure that no child sits on the floor, in line with the Presidential directive.
Other notable developments include:
• Rehabilitation of the 40.1 kilometer road network.
• Drainage improvement projects including the Kalusha Bwalya and Lady Diana drainage systems in Kanyama.
• Construction of police posts alongside the installation of street lights, among other key projects aimed at improving the livelihoods of residents in Lusaka.
These achievements and many more were scored under challenging circumstances, among them politically motivated pressure and interruptions which, if it were not for your resilience, could have derailed a lot of our plans.
Sincere thanks to the councilors. You were always available to provide wise counsel. Despite our, sometimes, heated debates in the chambers, often occasioned by differences in political affiliations, you remained focused on serving the people who put us in our positions.
I sincerely thank the LCC management team for remaining professional in the face of undue criticisms and distractions. I also extend my deepest gratitude to all members of staff for the support and ensuring that my office operated efficiently. You are the force that drives the city, often going unrecognised, but with significant effect. With the right tools provided, the Lusaka we want is not so far-fetched. Keep up the good work. I am confident that you will all continue to work and contribute to the transformation of Lusaka in whatever capacity and wherever you will be.
Thank you.
God Bless Lusaka and Mother Zambia 🇿🇲
I thank You.