KABWE

Kabwe is the capital of the Central Province. Formerly named Broken Hill until it was renamed in 1966, it was founded when lead and zinc deposits were discovered in 1902. Kabwe also has a claim to being the birthplace of Zambian politics as it was an important political centre during the colonial period: in 1958, the Kaunda-Kapwepe breakaway group that would go on to for UNIP (United National Independence Party) met at Mulungushi Rock.
European and Australian prospectors named the area Broken Hill after a similar mine in Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia. The mine was the largest in the country for around 30 years until it was overtaken in the early 1930s by larger copper mining complexes on the Copperbelt. Silver and manganese were also mined; a study by the Blacksmith Institute found Kabwe to be one of the 10 most polluted places in the world due mostly to heavy metal (mostly zinc and lead) tailings making their way into the local water supply.
It is possible to hike Broken Hill and see the ‘lakes’ that have formed as abandoned mineshafts have filled with rainwater over decades.
In 1921 an early human fossil skull, called Broken Hill Man or Rhodesian Man, was found in the mine (classified as Homo rhodesiensis or Homo heidelbergensis). In 2020, the skull was dated to 324 000 to 274 000 years ago, and has been noted for having a cranial capacity nearing that of modern humans, although obviously slightly lower.
Because of mining, agriculture and the further education, Kabwe was the headquarters of Zambia Railways. If you are driving, Independence Avenue becomes Great North Road (T2) outside Kabwe, leading north to the Copperbelt and the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and south to Lusaka, Livingstone and Zimbabwe.
PHOTO CREDITS: Cedrick Ngalula, Mac H Alford, Amedee Forestier and Gerbil | Wikipedia
LUKANGA WETLAND
The Lukanga Wetland lies on the other side of the Kafue River, about 120km / 75mi from Kabwe. When the river floods, the surge flows into the Mwinuna Channel, which then floods the wetland. It spans anywhere between 1 800km² / 1 120mi² and 8 000km² / 5 000mi², depending on seasonal summer rain.
Lakes Chiposhye and Suye lie on Lukanga and there are two islands, named Chilwa and Chiposa.
The area consists of miombo and mopane woodland, and 316 species of bird have been recorded. Mammals include marsh mongoose, oribi, elephant, roan, lechwe and hippos while crocodiles are found along the water’s edge. This habitat is highly threatened by deforestation for coal production.
MULUNGUSHI AND LUNSEMFWA RIVERS
These two rivers flow into the western end of the Luangwa Rift Valley just over 50km / 31mi south-east of Kabwe, and just south of the Mulungushi Dam, which offers good boating and game-fishing activities. The Lunsemfwa Falls and Mita Hills Dam help create hydroelectric power.