Chama District

Chama District
District
District location in Zambia
Country	Zambia
Province	Eastern Province
Capital	Chama
Area
• Total	17,472.8 km2 (6,746.3 sq mi)
Population  (2022)
• Total	140,326
• Density	8.0/km2 (21/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+2 (CAT)

Chama District with the headquarters at Chama is the largest district of the Eastern Province in Zambia and includes a large wilderness in the Upper Luangwa valley just north-east of the North Luangwa National Park. It is made up of two constituencies, namely Chama North and Chama South.

Much of the population of Chama District lives close to the Malawi border and shares tribal and cultural links with the people of the northern highlands of that country. The people of Chama belong mostly to the Senga and Tumbuka tribes which resulted as a result of intermarriage with the Tumbuka people three centuries ago. Chitumbuka (Senga dialect) is the predominant language spoken in the district.

Agriculture is the leading industry, and maize is the most common crop. Chama is also known as a rice-growing area. Cotton is a lucrative crop for some. Sorghum and soyabeans are also grown. Other common food crops include groundnuts, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, cabbage, sunflowers.

As of the 2022 Zambian Census, the district had a population of 140,326 people.

History

In 2012, President Michael Sata created a new province in Zambia, namely Muchinga Province. Every district of Muchinga Province was formerly part of the Northern Province, except for Chama District, which was formerly part of the Eastern Province.

Nine years later, on 17 November 2021, President Hakainde Hichilema announced his intention to reverse the decision to move Chama District from Eastern Province. President Hichilema officially declared Chama District as part of Eastern Province (no-longer part of Muchinga Province), thereby returning the district to its original province.

Geography

Map of Chama's Ward

As of 2010, Chama District's two constituencies consist of 22 wards.