05/10/2025
Chongwe at a Breaking Point: When Silence Becomes Complicity
It’s becoming painfully clear that Chongwe Municipal Council is at a governance crossroads one that reflects deeper cracks in the values of transparency, accountability, and leadership that decentralization was meant to strengthen.
After months of suspended council operations, withdrawn planning authority, and persistent administrative friction, citizens expected a turning point at the Full Council Meeting initially scheduled for 2nd October 2025.
Instead, that long-awaited meeting was abruptly postponed on 1st October without clear explanation. In its place, an ad-hoc meeting was hurriedly convened on Friday, 3rd October 2025, a gathering marked by intimidation, tension, and political undercurrents rather than genuine governance dialogue.
A Deepening Crisis of Credibility
Many residents now believe that what’s happening in Chongwe is not just administrative failure, it’s a systematic erosion of accountability.
Councilors who had sought to move a Motion of No Confidence in the Town Clerk have reportedly faced backroom pressure, manipulation, and smear campaigns all designed to weaken their resolve. Meanwhile, a counter group of councilors has emerged, defending the very leadership accused of misconduct.
For ordinary citizens, this sends one message: personal interests have overtaken public duty.
The Core of the Controversy: A Questionable CDF Committee
At the center of Chongwe’s crisis lies the Constituency Development Fund Committee (CDFC) the engine of local development.
According to the CDF Act No. 11 of 2018, the committee’s formation must follow strict procedures:
1. Two councilors elected by their peers.
2. One representative selected by the area MP.
3. Community members, non-partisan and representative of all wards, nominated transparently.
4. Final ratification by the Full Council as required by law.
But in Chongwe, that last and most important step never happened. The current CDFC, many argue, is operating illegally never ratified, and allegedly dominated by politically connected individuals who now determine which wards benefit and which don’t.
This has led to deep inequalities in the allocation of CDF projects, with some wards recording multiple completions while others have none. Many Ward Development Committees (WDCs) have cried foul, claiming their approved projects were altered or replaced without consultation.
The Consequences: Development Held Hostage
Despite substantial CDF allocations from government, Chongwe remains visibly underdeveloped. Roads remain impassable, markets unfinished, and public facilities abandoned mid-construction.
The Town Clerk’s administration, accused of colluding with political interests, has done little to assure residents of fairness, transparency, or professionalism.
Even more worrying, the Council’s suspension earlier this year and the withdrawal of its land administration powers have crippled local service delivery and discouraged investment in the district.
The Postponed Full Council Meeting: A Missed Opportunity
The sudden postponement of the 2nd October Full Council Meeting Chongwe’s first in 2025 was a critical missed opportunity for dialogue, healing, and reform.
Instead, the ad-hoc meeting of 3rd October reportedly became a theatre of intimidation, where voices of accountability were muffled under political pressure.
Such negligence and disregard for procedural integrity betray the principles of decentralization and send a troubling message to the people who depend on their elected leaders for change.
The Way Forward: Truth, Courage, and Political Maturity
It is now clear that Chongwe’s governance crisis cannot be resolved through silence or coercion.
What’s needed is:
• A transparent investigation into the formation and operations of the current CDFC.
• Restoration of the Council’s authority over planning and land administration.
• A return to lawful, inclusive local governance — where decisions are made in Full Council, not behind closed doors.
• Stronger oversight from the Ministry of Local Government to ensure the rule of law is upheld.
Final Word
The people of Chongwe deserve better not political theatre, but accountable leadership.
When public institutions lose their integrity, development suffers, and citizens lose hope. The central government and UPND leadership must act swiftly to restore confidence before the damage becomes irreversible.
Because what is unfolding in Chongwe is more than a local dispute it’s a warning of what happens when governance drifts from the people it exists to serve.
