WHY LUNDAZI IS CALLED “BOX ONE KANELE”
Lundazi is a town in the Eastern Province of Zambia. It has a popular name “Box One Kanele” which people use when referring to Lundazi.
This name originates from the colonial era when Lundazi had a British Colonel, Errol Button, who held the position of District Commissioner.
For some time, the Colonel had the only post box in Lundazi and everyone else received their mail though the Colonel’s postal address. It was “P.O Box 1, C/O Colonel, Lundazi”. However the locals failed to pronounce the word “Colonel” and instead ended up saying “Kanele”.
So over the years the address for Lundazi was referred to as “P.O. Box 1, Kanele” and the name has stuck.
Today there is even a school in Lundazi named Kanele Primary School and the Post Office Box for the Lundazi District Commissioner is Box 1 Kanele.
The colonel’s old house were the old post box was situated now belongs to the government and was converted into a boarding house for civil servants.
(Picture Credit: Julius Chilala)