Eastern Province is located at an elevation of 828 meters above sea level. Its coordinates are 18 degrees and 32 degrees. The province has a total area of approximately 52,056 square kilometres. It shares its border with Malawi in the east, Mozambique in the south, Northern Province in the north and Central Province and Lusaka Province in the west. Additionally, the province is divided into nine (9) Districts namely: Chipata, as the provincial capital; Nyimba; Petauke, Sinda, Katete, Lundazi; Mambwe; Chadiza; and Vubwi. The province is predominantly rural.
The province has two main geographical areas, which are productive and habitable namely, the Plateau and the Luangwa valley.
Eastern Province has great opportunities for investment in many areas; ranging from agricultural production, agro-processing, manufacturing, marketing, mining, tourism, housing, fishing, game ranching, communication, energy generation etc. the abundant natural resources coupled with the enabling environment created by the pragmatic economic policies of the Zambian government, make the Eastern Province an attractive destination for investors, whether local or foreign.
According to the 2010 census, Eastern Province has a population of 1,592,661 with an annual growth rate of 2.6 percent.
Eastern Province has great opportunities for investment in many areas; ranging from agricultural production, agro-processing, manufacturing, marketing, marketing, mining, tourism, housing, fishing, game ranching, communication, energy generation etc. the abundant natural resources coupled with the enabling environment created by the pragmatic economic policies of the Zambian government, make the Eastern Province an attractive destination for investors, whether local or foreign.
The Vision for the Province is “A Smart and Value-Centred Eastern Provincial Administration”.
The mission statement of Provincial Administration is “to coordinate programme implementation for equitable and inclusive sustainable development”.
The Eastern Provincial Administration operations are anchored on eight (8) core values namely:
Chadiza district is situated in the extreme south-eastern corner of Zambia covering 2575 Km² of land. it lies between latitude 13.75° and 14.30 south and longitudes 32º and 33º east. Chadiza shares borders with Chipata district in the north, Katete in the west, Vubwi in the east, and the Republic of Mozambique in the south. The district’s population was estimated to be 137,383 in 2020. The district has one constituency and 20 wards and experiences adequate rains and temperatures ranging between 18°c and 27°c for most of the year. It is host to Chanida border, which is Zambia’s major trade route through Mozambique as well as part of the Nacala Corridor.
Chasefu District is located at Longitude 30 E 50’ and 33 E Latitude 11 S 32’ and 13 S 15’ and spans 2, 942Km² of land. The Districts bordering Chasefu are Chama to the North and West and Lundazi District to the South and it shares an International boundary with Malawi to the East. Its population (CSO Report 2010) totalled 96,028 and it has 1 constituency and 10 wards. The people of Chasefu also practice Zengani Traditional Ceremony of the Ngoni and Tumbuka Speaking People. Average mean temperatures are 23ºC to 26°C and average rainfall is 800 mm to 1000mm.
Chipata District is located at 32°, 50 to 33.00’ E and 15º 50’ to 14º.00’ S. in the Eastern province of Zambia and is the province’s administrative capital. The district has an area of 2,616Km² and is bordered by Katete, Mambwe and Lundazi Districts. The district shares an international boundary with Malawi. The population of Chipata district was estimated to be 566,157 in 2020. The district has 4 constituencies and 11 wards and celebrates the N’cwala Traditional Ceremony of the Ngoni Speaking people. The mean annual maximum. temperatures in the district range from 26.6ºC, to 32.3ºC while mean annual minimum temperatures ranges between 12ºC to 20.1°C. The average rainfall in the district is 997.2 mm. It has a remarkable number of productive farmers and the same time and is a market hub for most agriculture produce, retail and a thriving small-scale cross-border trade into and from Malawi through the Mchinji One Stop Border Post.
Katete district is located at the foot of the rocky hills that lie to its east including Mphangwe hill and kanagrema hill and spans 2433 square kilometres of land. It is situated between longitudes 31.450 and 32.300 East and latitudes 13.800 and 14.450 South and shares boundaries with Chadiza district in the southeast, Chipata city and Kasenengwa district in the northeast, Mambwe in the north, and Sinda district in southwest. The population was estimated to be 314,580 in 2020. The district has 2 constituencies and 22 wards and celebrates the Kulamba Traditional Ceremony of the Chewa Speaking people. Katete district experiences three distinct seasons namely: the cool and dry season, the hot and dry season and the wet season. The temperatures in Katete range from 8oc to 35oc and the mean annual rainfall ranges from 700 mm to 900 mm. It is an important transit point for international movement of goods to Mozambique through the Chanida Border in Chadiza District. Katete is a commercially busy centre, an emerging and flourishing hospitality business. It is home to the Kulamba Traditional Ceremony of the Chewa people of Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique, attracting thousands of local and foreign tourists every August to witness the Gule Wamukulu—a dance a UNESCO recognised masterpiece intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
Lundazi District is located 180 km North of Chipata Town. The district lies between longitude 30 E 50’ and 33 E latitude, 11 S 32’ and 13 S 15’ and covers 14,030 square kilometres of land. shares boundaries with Chama District to the north, Mpika District to the West, Chipata District to the South, Mambwe District to the Southwest and the Republic of Malawi to the East. The districts population was estimated to be 442,300 in 2020. Lundazi has 3 constituencies and 10 wards. It has a long dry season from April to October and short wet season from November to March. The District rainfall is typically between 800 to 1 000 mm per annum.
Mambwe District is situated to the northwest of Chipata the provincial headquarters of Eastern Province. The District covers an area of about 4,840 km2 and borders with Lundazi district to the north, Mpika to the northwest, Serenje to the west, Petauke to the southwest and Katete district to the south. The population of Mambwe District in 2020 was estimated to be 99,981. The District consists of six (6) Chiefdoms, one Constituency (Malambo) and at total of 15 Wards. The district generally experiences a hot climate with mean daily maximum temperatures in the range of 32-36oC and the mean annual rainfall is in the range of 400 – 800 mm.
Sinda district is situated along the Great East Road about 120 Kms West of Chipata, the Provincial Headquarters and 460 Kms to Lusaka, Zambia’s Capital City. Sinda is further bordered by Petauke District on the West and Katete District on the East. Sinda District also shares the international boundary with the Republic of Mozambique in the South. As of 2013, Sinda District had the estimated population of 179, 470 people. The district boasts of a total number of 19 wards, which form part of the two constituencies. Most people of Sinda District earn their living by farming; most of the farming activity in the district is done by peasant farmers though there are a few commercial farmers who have cattle, maize fields and some banana plantations. Sinda District experiences three distinct seasons namely: the cool and dry season, the hot and dry season and the hot wet season. The mean annual rainfall ranges from 700 mm to 900 mm and the temperatures in Sinda range from 10oc to 35oc.
Vubwi District is situated about thirty-four (34) Kilometres East of Chadiza District and about sixty- eight (68) Kilometres South of Chipata District. Vubwi District covers an area of about hundred (100) Square Kilometres with about sixty (60) Square Kilometres being within the township. The district is bordered by Malawi on the West and Chadiza District on the East The district has an estimated population of 44,585 people (CSO 2010). The District has one (1) constituency and has 9 wards. The district falls within the tropical continental climate commonly known as Savannah with an annual average rainfall of between 600-700mm.
Chama district stretches between latitudes 100 15’ to 120 10’ South and longitude 320 40’ to 330 10’ East, spanning over 17,164 km² of land. The district shares the same boundary with Musalangu GMA. Chama district has a 2017 projected population of about 130,891 (CSO, 2010) and has 2 constituencies and 24 wards. The district lies in Agro-ecological Region II characterized by low rainfall. The rainfall pattern is controlled by the climate with three distinct seasons characterizes it i.e., hot rainy season from late November to April; a cool-dry season, from May-August; and a hot-dry season, from September to early November. The mean annual rainfall is in the range of 700-900 mm.
Chipangali district lies between 32°, 50 to 33.00’ E and 15º 50’ to 14º.00’ S and covers 245,347 hectares of land. Bordering Districts include: Lumezi to the north, Mambwe to the west, Kasenengwa to the south-west and Chipata to the south. The district also shares an international boundary with Malawi to the east. Chipangali’s population in 2017 was estimated to be 143,169, it has 1 constituency and 8 wards and celebrates the Nc’wala Traditional Ceremony of the Ngoni Speaking people. Chipangali has an average rainfall of 800mm – 1000 mm. Mean annual maximum temperatures go between 5.6ºC – 37ºC and mean annual minimum temperatures lie 5.6ºC – 37°C. It is an agrarian district with a relatively good production of tobacco, soya beans, maize and small livestock.
Kasenengwa district lies between 31° 55’ E and 13º 19’ S and shares boarders with Katete, Mambwe, Chipata and Chipangali Districts. The district spans an area of 1 818.43 Km². The population of Kasenengwa (CSO projected 2016) was 110, 496 and it has 1 constituency and 8 wards. The Nc’wala Traditional Ceremony of the Ngoni Speaking people is also celebrated in this district. It has mean annual maximum temperatures of 26.6ºC – 32.3ºC, mean annual minimum temperatures of 26.6-32.3ºC, 12ºC to 20.1°C and average rainfall is 997.2 mm. Being a new district, Kasenengwa offers tremendous investment potential in social amenities like housing and hospitality infrastructure, among others.
Lumezi district lies between 120 9’0S 320 34’0E and borders: Chipangali and Mambwe District in the South, Lundazi District on the Northeast, Chama District on the Northwest, Mpika District to the West and Malawi to the East. Lumezi covers 9,838 Square Kilometres of land. Its population (CSO projected 2019) was 174,289 and it has 1 constituency and 11 wards. The six Chewa chiefs of Lumezi District attend the Kulamba Traditional Ceremony of the Chewa Speaking people in Katete District in Eastern Province. Mean annual maximum temperatures are 40ºC, mean annual minimum temperatures are 22ºC average rainfall lies between 700mm – 1200mm.
Lusangazi district is situated between 13°30′ latitude and 14°45′ longitude, 31° west and 32° east and shares boundaries with Petauke in the south and with Sinda and Mambwe in the north-east, and Serenje in Central Province in the north-west. It covers 3,701 km² of land and according to the 2010 census, had a population of 49,673. Lusangazi boasts 1constituency and 11 wards. It has mean annual maximum temperatures of 26.6ºC – 32.3ºC and mean annual minimum temperatures of 12ºC to 20.1°C. Average rainfall is 900 mm.
Nyimba district is located in the southern part of eastern province and lies between longitude 30 degrees and 31 degrees east and latitude 13 degrees 55 minutes and 15 degrees south. The district has an appropriate area of 125,000 square kilometres. It is the gateway to the Eastern Province about 340 Km from Lusaka along the Great East Road and It shares boundaries with six districts and one country. Serenje to the north, Petauke to the east, Luangwa district to the south-west, Chongwe to the west, Mkushi to the Northwest and Mozambique to the south. Nyimba district’s population in 2020 was estimated to be 102,951. The District has 15 political wards.
Petauke District is situated 406km east of Lusaka and 170km west of Chipata. It lies between 13°30′ latitude and 14°45′ longitude, 31° west and 32° east and covers an area of 8,573 Km². The District shares an international boundary with Mozambique in the south and district boundaries with Katete and Mambwe in the north-east, Nyimba in the west, and Serenje in Central Province in the north-west. Petauke had an estimated population of 402,238 in 2020. The district has 3 constituencies and 13 wards. It celebrates the Tuwimba Traditional Ceremony of the Nsenga Speaking people. Agriculture is the mainstay of Petauke District’s economy. The five primary resource of the district are: Maize, Tobacco, Soya beans, Cotton and Livestock (Cattle, Pigs, Goats and Poultry)
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