Luanshya Town which has a population of over 200,000 people is one of the ten mining towns which make up Zambia’s Copperbelt Province.

The town, whose main stay is predominantly copper mining, is linked by road to Ndola, the Copperbelt’s  provincial capital, Kitwe the commercial centre, Masaiti, Mpongwe, Kapiri-mposhi and the traditional finishing centre of Lukanga Swamps by road.

The town’s economy is also diversifying from mining dependence to agriculture. The Luanshya Municipal Council is headed by His Worship The Mayor, Cllr. Charles Mulenga, (The town’s 24th Mayor) who is assisted by Deputy Mayor, Cllr. Austin Zimba, who is one of the 30 elected Councilors from both the ruling and opposition parties. The current Luanshya Municipal Council is a ruling United Party for National Development Party      (UPND) led Council.

The Town Clerk, Mrs. Sombo Kawilila Kaela, is the Principal Officer, who is assisted by seven Directors, who are in charge of the day to day management of the Council.

The Council’s daily operations are conducted through the activities of the following departments: Administration and Human Resource, Finance, Engineering Services, Development Planning, Legal Services, Public Health, Environment Housing and Social Services,

Although copper was discovered around 1910 by a white hunter, who shot down a Roan Antelope, which landed on seemingly  extremely green soil, which prompted the nosy hunter to engage experts to find out why the soil, on which the dead animal landed was strangely green.

Large scale Mining activities in Luanshya started in 1933. Luanshya was declared a municipality in 1955 after being upgraded from a sub-town which started with Fisenge as its main centre. Luanshya is also known as the Garden Town of the Copperbelt  Province because if was designed with flowers and vegetation planted along its major roads and residential areas following the Victorian style of a Garden Town, which came with the colonial masters.

The Town’s design is said to have cheered Great Britain’s Queen Elizabeth, during her visit to Luanshya many decades ago. The Queen is also reported to have been impressed with the design of the Luanshya Copper Mines offices, which is said to be a replica of the United Kingdom’s West Minister.

For more information contact the Council Public Relations Manager Gideon Thole.PHONE +260 977 631 032,