Rufunsa Town Council has successfully concluded a series of district-wide stakeholder engagement meetings aimed at reviewing the performance of the 2025 budget and collecting community priorities for the formulation of the 2026 budget. The consultative meetings, held from 13th to 15th October 2025 across all 12 wards, brought together a diverse group of participants including Ward Councillors, Ward Development Committee (WDC) representatives, business owners, traditional leaders, CDF Committee members, faith-based organisations and community members.
The sessions provided a comprehensive review of the performance across all council departments and devolved functions. Key highlights included progress under the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), capital projects, Cash for Work, Zambia Devolution Support Programme (ZDSP), and community sports initiatives. Stakeholders were also given the opportunity to submit their project proposals for the 2026 budget cycle.
Under the CDF, council officers reported that 13 community projects were implemented across all wards in 2025. In addition, rehabilitation works on seven major roads were underway in Nyangwena, Bunda Bunda, Mulamba, Shikabeta, Mankhanda, Kankumba and Mwachilele Wards, improving mobility and access for rural communities.
Officers also highlighted the successful implementation of community sports activities, including the 2024 Ward Christmas Tournaments, pre-Easter tournaments, and the orientation of representatives of persons living with disabilities to enhance inclusive participation in sports.
One of the notable achievements under the Zambia Devolution Support Programme was the construction of a community radio station, a project expected to improve access to information and enhance civic engagement in the district. Achievements from key devolved sectors such as agriculture, district health services, fisheries and livestock, transport, and community development were also presented.
During the meeting held at Chiyota Skills Training Centre in Nyangwena Ward, community members urged the council to expedite the rehabilitation of the Nyangwena–Chiyota road before the rainy season. In response, the Area Councillor, Mr. Jimson Chalimbwa, assured residents that earth-moving equipment would soon be deployed to the area once works on the Chandalala Road in Kankumba Ward were completed.
The community also sought clarification on whether the WDC had submitted a proposal for the rehabilitation or construction of a staff house at Chiyota Rural Health Post. For the 2026 priority projects, residents identified the drilling of boreholes as their top priority, followed by the construction of a staff house at Chiyota Rural Health Post.
In Mwachilele Ward, stakeholders highlighted the need for staff houses for teachers and health personnel, construction of crossing points, a police post, and improved water reticulation systems to enhance access to clean and safe water.
Across other wards, recurrent priorities included construction of staff houses, police posts, bridges, storage sheds, rehabilitation of feeder roads, and water supply projects. Under the Zambia Devolution Support Programme, proposed priority projects included the construction of a filling station, dip tanks, community halls, and local markets.
Community members also commended the government for expanding access to skills development through the CDF bursary programme, which has enabled many youths to acquire soft skills. However, some stakeholders raised concerns that a number of youths sponsored for driving licenses have not utilised them, appealing to the CDF Committee to diversify sponsorship into skills such as bricklaying, auto-electrical, and other trades that offer better employment prospects.
The Rufunsa Town Council emphasised that the inputs gathered from the engagements will form an integral part of the 2026 budget formulation process, ensuring that development priorities are community-driven and reflective of the needs across all wards.