Kasama, Mbala Councils Procure Nearly 20,000 Desks Under CDF in Response to Presidential Directive

Municipal councils in Northern Province are delivering on President Hakainde Hichilema’s directive that no child should sit on the floor during lessons, with Kasama and Mbala districts together procuring nearly 20,000 desks through the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) since 2023. For years, learners in rural and peri-urban schools have endured long hours on broken chairs and desks – or no furniture at all – making the learning process unbearable.

Kasama Municipal Council has invested approximately K16.9 million in desk procurement across the district. Acting Director of Engineering Services Chitundu Mwila confirmed that of the 11,270 desks targeted, 10,500 have been purchased – more than 93 per cent of the total requirement. The procurement has been phased since 2023, when 4,350 desks were bought, with only 333 remaining for Lukashya Constituency and 388 for Kasama Central.

“We have addressed the vast majority of the desks required. We are hoping to conclude this project with the CDF funding under 2025 currently underway,” Mwila said.

At Kasama Day Secondary School, pupils spoke enthusiastically about the new furniture. Spencer Kayula, a Form Two pupil, said the desks had transformed the classroom experience. “They are very comfortable and you can listen and concentrate in class. The desks are so smooth – you don’t worry that they will rip or make your uniform dirty,” he said. Douglas, a Form Four pupil, noted that the school previously relied on very old desks, adding: “These desks are okay. We feel very comfortable.” Classmate Chisanga Anne agreed: “I feel good sitting on these new desks. In the past, the desks were not very good.”

Mwila also revealed that a 1×3 classroom block has been built at the school at a cost of K953,000 using CDF resources.

Meanwhile, Mbala Municipal Council, located 170 kilometres from Kasama, has pursued a parallel effort, procuring a total of 9,200 desks at a combined cost of K13.9 million. The first batch of 4,200 desks, costing K6.4 million, was purchased in 2023, followed by a further 5,000 desks at K7.5 million. Public Relations Officer Grace Nkomesha said the procurement was aimed at adhering to the Presidential directive of ensuring every child has a desk to sit on.

Nkomesha disclosed that the council also directed CDF resources towards a 1×2 classroom block valued at K509,000 for children with special needs at Chila Deaf Unit. “The living conditions for the deaf children were not good. A classroom block was constructed and the children were also allocated part of the 9,200 desks,” she said.

The combined investment of over K30 million across the two Northern Province districts highlights the CDF’s growing role in delivering on education priorities at grassroots level. With Kasama on course to close its remaining deficit by the end of the current funding cycle, the phased approach adopted by both councils offers a replicable model for other local authorities still working to meet the Presidential directive across Zambia’s 156 constituencies.