22/10/2026
𝐊𝐈𝐓𝐖𝐄 𝐌𝐀𝐘𝐎𝐑 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐄𝐒 𝐊𝐀𝐁𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐀 𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐃, 𝐔𝐑𝐆𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐎 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐒𝐄 𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐕𝐈𝐂𝐄 𝐃𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐘
Government has called on the newly installed Mayor of Kitwe, His Worship Charles Kabwita, and councillors to prioritise service delivery, accountability and sustainable development as the city positions itself to contribute to the national Grow Zambia Agenda.
Speaking during the mayoral installation ceremony held at the Kitwe Civic Centre yesterday Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development Permanent Secretary – Technical Services, Mr Nicholas Phiri, congratulated Mayor Kabwita and the councillors on their election, urging them to discharge their responsibilities with integrity, humility and commitment to public service.
Mr Phiri said Kitwe, as a major mining and commercial hub on the Copperbelt, had significant potential to drive economic growth through local processing, manufacturing, enterprise development and value addition.
He emphasised the need for effective collaboration between elected leaders, council management and Government, noting that political leadership and professional management must complement each other to strengthen local governance and improve municipal service delivery.
“The time for political contest is over; the time for work, service delivery and development has begun,” Mr Phiri said, urging councillors to put political differences aside and work collectively for the benefit of Kitwe residents.
The Permanent Secretary further highlighted the importance of safeguarding investments made through the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), noting that more than 300 CDF projects had been completed in Kitwe. He called on the council to ensure that the facilities are properly maintained and continue to deliver lasting benefits to communities.
He also reaffirmed Government’s commitment to infrastructure development, including the 16.25-kilometre road rehabilitation project in Kitwe, while urging the council to strengthen revenue collection, embrace the e-Council digital platform and ensure prudent management of public resources.
Mr Phiri called on residents, businesses, marketeers and other stakeholders to support the city’s development by paying applicable council fees and charges, complying with by-laws, disposing of waste responsibly and protecting public infrastructure.
Meanwhile in his remarks, His Worship the Mayor Kabwita said he would focus on the aspirations of Kitwe residents and work with councillors, council management, Government and other stakeholders to advance the city’s development priorities.
