KABWE ARCHIVE
NO BODY CAN MAKE KABWE GREAT BUT US
Article by Rodgers Mangwela | KASONDE24
A town does not lose its greatness in a single day. Sometimes, it loses it slowly, as its streets change, its industries struggle, its young people leave in search of opportunities, and its people gradually become accustomed to conditions they once believed would improve. But beneath the dust of forgotten promises and the weight of economic challenges, the spirit of a town can remain alive, waiting for its people to awaken it.
This is the story of Kabwe, one of Zambia's historic towns, whose past carries lessons for its present and whose future remains unfinished.
Listen to Impelako Chance by Netbustar ft. Drimz
As Zambia reflects on 62 years of independence, Kabwe deserves more than another celebration of the national flag. It deserves an honest conversation about its identity, its achievements, its disappointments and the responsibility of its people to build a better tomorrow.
The message is simple: Nobody can make Kabwe great but us.
Not politicians alone. Not the government alone. Not investors arriving from distant places. Not even the children of Kabwe who have moved to Lusaka, the Copperbelt or beyond Zambia's borders.
The responsibility belongs to everyone who calls Kabwe home, whether they live in its neighbourhoods, including Katondo, or carry its memories wherever life has taken them.
Kabwe: A Town Built on History
Kabwe's story is closely connected to Zambia's industrial development. Formerly known as Broken Hill, the town grew around mining and railway activity, becoming an important centre during the colonial era. Its history reflects the ambitions, inequalities and economic transformations that shaped much of southern Africa.
The railway helped connect communities and markets, while mining contributed to the town's growth and employment. For generations, families built their lives around the opportunities that emerged from this industrial foundation.
But history is not always a comfortable inheritance. Kabwe's lead and zinc mining legacy also left serious environmental and public health challenges. The consequences of decades of contamination have continued to affect surrounding communities, making environmental rehabilitation an essential part of any serious discussion about the town's future.
Kabwe's history therefore tells two stories at once: one of industrial importance and another of the long-term consequences of development that failed to adequately protect human health and the environment.
Understanding both stories is necessary if the town is to build a future that is economically productive, environmentally responsible and worthy of the next generation.
Sixty-Two Years of Independence: What Has Changed?
Zambia gained independence from British colonial rule on 24 October 1964. Since then, the country has experienced political transitions, economic difficulties, periods of growth and changing expectations among its citizens.
Kabwe has experienced these national changes in its own way.
For many older residents, the town is a collection of memories: busy streets, familiar trading places, workplaces that supported families and neighbourhoods where community relationships mattered. For younger residents, Kabwe is a place of ambition, but also one where the search for employment, business opportunities and better services can be frustrating.
The question is not whether Kabwe was perfect in the past. Every generation faces its own difficulties, and memories can sometimes make yesterday appear better than it really was. The more important question is whether the town is making sufficient progress towards the future its people deserve.
Independence gave Zambia the opportunity to determine its own political destiny. However, political independence alone cannot guarantee prosperous communities. Economic opportunity, quality education, responsible leadership, functioning public services and active citizenship must be built and maintained over time.
For Kabwe, the 62nd anniversary of independence should be an opportunity to examine what is working, what has failed and what residents can do differently.
Katondo and the Power of Ordinary People
To understand Kabwe, one must look beyond its main roads, commercial centres and official buildings. The real character of the town can also be found in neighbourhoods such as Katondo, where ordinary people wake up every morning to earn a living, raise children, educate families and pursue dreams that are often bigger than their circumstances.
These residents are not merely spectators in Kabwe's story. They are its authors.
A trader who serves customers honestly, a teacher who prepares children for a changing world, a young person who learns a practical skill, a farmer who supplies local markets and an entrepreneur who creates employment all contribute to the town's development.
Their individual efforts may appear small, but communities are built through thousands of such decisions.
Imagine what Kabwe could achieve if its residents made supporting local businesses a habit, protected public infrastructure, maintained cleaner surroundings, mentored young people and demanded accountability from those entrusted with public resources.
Imagine a town where talented young people did not feel that leaving was their only route to success, because they could find opportunities to create, innovate and prosper at home.
Such a future would not emerge from slogans alone. It would require planning, investment, cooperation and a willingness to turn community pride into practical action.
The Government Has a Role, but Citizens Must Also Act
Calling on residents to take responsibility must never become an excuse for neglecting the duties of government.
Public authorities have a responsibility to support infrastructure development, improve public services, attract investment, protect the environment and create conditions in which businesses can grow. Kabwe's industrial legacy, particularly its environmental and health consequences, requires sustained attention, effective remediation and accountability.
Local leadership must also work with communities to identify priorities and deliver measurable improvements.
However, citizens have responsibilities too. They must participate in community affairs, protect public property, reject corruption, report wrongdoing through appropriate channels and evaluate leaders on their actions rather than their promises.
Development becomes difficult when people expect others to solve every problem but refuse to contribute to solutions within their reach.
Equally, progress becomes impossible when citizens are told to work harder while institutions fail to fulfil their obligations.
Kabwe needs responsible leadership and responsible citizenship. One cannot permanently replace the other.
The town's transformation will depend on how effectively government, businesses, community organisations and residents work together.
Young People Must Become Part of the Solution
Kabwe's future will be shaped by the opportunities available to its young people today.
Education must prepare learners not only to pass examinations but also to solve problems, develop practical skills and create opportunities. Technical training, digital literacy, agriculture, creative industries, tourism and entrepreneurship can all contribute to a more diverse local economy.
Young people should be encouraged to see themselves as potential employers, innovators, artists, researchers and community leaders, rather than waiting indefinitely for formal employment.
Kabwe's history can also become an educational and cultural resource. Its railway heritage, industrial past and distinctive communities offer opportunities for historical research, documentary production, responsible tourism and creative storytelling.
Africa's development depends partly on how its communities preserve their histories while preparing for new economic realities. Kabwe can contribute to that story by documenting its past, supporting its talent and investing in the capabilities of its people.
The next generation should inherit more than stories about what Kabwe used to be. It should inherit the tools, institutions and opportunities needed to decide what Kabwe can become.
No Body Can Make Kabwe Great but Us
There is a difference between loving a town and merely being born in it.
Love is demonstrated through action. It is seen when residents refuse to destroy public property, when business owners treat customers fairly, when leaders listen to communities and when people support constructive initiatives even when they receive no personal reward.
It is also demonstrated through difficult conversations. Genuine pride does not require pretending that everything is fine. Sometimes, the most patriotic thing a person can do is speak honestly about what needs to change.
For the sons and daughters of Kabwe living elsewhere, the town's future should remain part of the conversation. Skills, knowledge, investment, mentorship and professional networks can help create opportunities for those who remain.
For those who live in Kabwe, the challenge is to recognise that meaningful change begins with the choices made in homes, schools, businesses, neighbourhoods and public institutions.
Nobody is suggesting that ordinary residents can solve every structural problem on their own. But every lasting transformation requires people who believe that their community is worth the effort.
A New Chapter for Kabwe
Sixty-two years after independence, Zambia must continue asking what freedom should mean in the daily lives of its citizens. For Kabwe, that question reaches beyond national celebrations and historical anniversaries.
It asks whether children have access to quality education, whether young people can build meaningful careers, whether families can earn decent livelihoods, whether the environment is becoming safer and whether public leadership is producing results that residents can see.
Kabwe's past is important, but it must not become a permanent resting place. History should inspire the future, not imprison a town in nostalgia.
The people of Katondo and every other corner of Kabwe have a stake in what happens next. They can demand better services, build stronger communities, support local enterprise and help preserve the town's cultural identity.
The government must play its part. Investors must recognise the town's potential. Leaders must demonstrate accountability. And citizens must refuse to surrender their future to hopelessness.
Kabwe has a history worth remembering and a future worth fighting for.
The next chapter will not be written by history alone. It will be written by the people who choose to act.
No body can make Kabwe great but us. The responsibility is ours, the opportunity is before us, and the future is still waiting to be written.
Published by KASONDE24
Comments
Post a Comment