By JULIUS PHIRI –
CHIPATA, formerly Fort Jameson, traces its origin from around 1899 when it was created by Robert Codrington, then a deputy administrator.
Previously, the administration of North Eastern Rhodesia were conducted in Blantyre in then Nyasaland presently Malawi.
Following the administration takeover of the North Eastern Rhodesia by the British South African Company (BSA) under leader Cecil Rhodes, building operations commenced in Mpezeni’s village, the same year.
By 1902, the town had six tin roofed houses, a set of offices and one government house and the golf course was also established in the same year.
Some of the major buildings include the current Anglican Church that was commissioned in 1905.
In 1911, Fort Jameson lost its status as a capital to Kalomo, after the amalgamation of the North Eastern and North Western into the new Northern Rhodesia.
But the town was so well established that it would survive economically despite the removal of its previous status.
Boreholes were the main supply of water until 1952 when it was connected to a water reticulation network and electricity with the first tarred road.
During the colonial rule in the then Northern Rhodesia, the Fort Jameson district was governed through three native authorities in the rural part of the district whereas the urban part operated through a Board known as the Fort Jameson Township Management Board.
The Ngoni Native Authority at Feni Sub-Centre, the Kunda Native Authority in the Jumbe Sub-Centre and the Chewa Native Authority at Chiparamba Sub-Centre in Chipata district with satellite centres at Kagoro-Sub Centre in Katete District and Chipili Sub-Centre in Chadiza District.
After Zambia’s independence from the colonial rule in 1964, the Fort Jameson Rural Council renamed the town as Chipata.
The township council operated within the township boundary while the rural council took over the running of the Native Authorities in Chipata, Katete and Chadiza districts.
Katete and Chadiza districts of the Chipata Rural Council attained autonomy as rural councils in September 1976 and the Chipata Rural Council remained with Chiparamba, Feni and Jumbe Sub centres.
This was after the repeal of the Local Government Act Cap 480 of the Laws of Zambia.
In 1980, the Local Government Act Cap 480 was repealed and replaced with the Local Administration Act Cap 281, which saw the merging of the Chipata Rural Council, the Chipata Township Council and the Office of the District Governor and thus created the Chipata District Council.
The offices were shifted to the 1940 Building near the judiciary and that being a one party state, UNIP which is the former ruling party was represented in the council by the three party wings.
The membership that constituted the new Chipata District Council includes the district governor as council chairman, elected Members of Parliament (MPs), district political secretary and the district women’s league secretary.
The district youth league secretary, two chief’s representatives, district chairperson of the Zambia Congress of Trade Union and the District chairperson from each affiliated trade union were also part the new town regime.
In 1991, Mambwe sub-boma of the Jumbe Sub Centre was upgraded to the status of a full district and in a turn of events; the district status was later revoked and reverted to the sub-boma status in 1992.
However, in October 1997, the revoked district status was given back to the sub-boma and reduced the number of sub-centres under the Chipata District Council to two which was Chiparamba and Feni as it was today.
In September 1991, the Local Government Act Cap 281 of the Laws of Zambia was enacted with the upgrading of the Chipata District Council to the municipality status.
Currently, Chipata has 22 elected councillors, four MPs, two chiefs’ representative from the Ngoni and Chewa with  the council currently being headed by mayor who chairs all council meetings.
In accordance with the provisions of the Section 74(1) (a) of the Local Government Act Cap 281 of the Laws of Zambia, the council admitted to the status of Honorary Freeman of the Chipata Municipality to First Republic president Kenneth Kaunda and current South African President Jacob Zuma when he visited Zambia.
In 2006, late former town Clerk Bernard Siwakwi who begun the city status campaign, stated that the council had set 2007 as time frame in which it wanted to achieve that feet.
Agricultural has been the main economic activity from inception with more than 100,000 registered farmers as at 2016.
Maize was the main staple food and the leading in terms of yields. Other major crops include groundnuts, soya beans, sunflower, cotton and tobacco and the town population was estimated at 200,000 while the district stands at 519,511.
On February 24,  this year, President Edgar Lungu upgraded the municipal to a city status in accordance with Statutory Instrument number 13 of 2017.
President Lungu said that Chipata meets all these requisites required to assume the city status.
Chipata had met the requirements such as the population of 500, 000 people that is way above the 200, 000 requirement to become a city.
The new city has a well-defined central business district with modern amenities and facilities including shopping malls, financial and insurance institutions.
Chipata has key services such as hotels, lodges, restaurants, and conference facilities, most of which meet international standards with a three star Protea Hotel.
The city has well-developed public services, seven public secondary schools, a general and district hospitals and several other key institutions.
Eastern Province Chamber of Commerce and Industry (EPPCI) president Thomas Mtonga, who was excited about the development, said there is need to diversify the agriculture sector.
He said there is need to start promoting value addition.
Evans Ngoma, proprietor of Kazonga Enterprise Limited said there was need to revamp Luangwa Bicycle Industry and the construction of cooking oil plant since Eastern province was a major grower of soya beans, groundnuts, sunflower and cotton.
He said there was also need for the construction of a textile industry since cotton was grown in the province.
“We need to construct a cigarette making factory and this should be done because it can translate into over 4,000 permanent jobs,” he said
Mr Ngoma said the Government should attract more investment by offering incentives such as declaring the city a duty free zone in order to speed up developmental activities.
Pearson Mtonga, a senior citizen said there was need to have a public university, improve more roads infrastructure and service delivery such as water supply.
Hotels Catering Association of Zambia (HCAZ) Eastern Province region chairperson Elvis Mhone, said people should take advantage of the declaration of Chipata as a city and enhance economic growth of the border town.
Mr Mhone, whom owns Eastern Comfort Lodge Lodge said doing so would improve economic, social and other aspects of the city.
He said there is need to call for more investment in the area using the Public Private Partnerships (PPPs).
Chipata Mayor Sinoya Mwale who hinted that the council was planning to honour Mr Siwakwi by renaming a street after him said President Lungu really meant it with the declaration of Chipata as a city.
He said Mr Siwakwi would be honoured for the role he played that Chipata should be a city.
Truly, the declaration was in response to the many requests by the people of Chipata who wanted the municipal council upgraded to city status for the two years Mr Lungu has been President.