Great East Road to be widened into a dual carriageway

CHIPATA — The Great East Road is to be widened into a dual carriageway, a pledge that means Zambia's main eastern trunk route would carry two lanes in each direction for the first time.

President Hakainde Hichilema set out the commitment at rallies across Chipata, Chadiza, Vubwi and Katete, alongside a list of road, energy and health projects for Eastern Province. The province is one of the larger blocks of votes outside the incumbent's Southern Province base, and the pledges arrive with a week left before polling on 13 August.

The roads on the list

Beyond the Great East Road, Hichilema said the long-delayed Chipata to Lundazi road is finally set for construction. In Chadiza, the route locally known as the HH Road is to be tarred for the first time since independence, alongside upgrades to the Chadiza to Chanida and Chadiza to Vubwi roads. Works on the Katete to Chanida stretch are already scheduled.

Road quality is the binding constraint on Eastern Province's agriculture. Tobacco, soya beans and maize all move by road to Chipata and onward to Lusaka, and a gravel surface in the rainy season is the difference between selling a crop and losing it. The Great East Road is also the corridor to the Malawian border at Mwami, which makes it a trade route rather than only a domestic one.

Power and hospitals

Hichilema said the Chipata West Solar Power Project is now halfway complete and will add 100 megawatts to the national grid. That matters beyond the province: Zambia spent much of the past two years rationing electricity after drought cut output at Kariba, and every megawatt of solar capacity reduces the hydrology risk in the generation mix.

On health, Chipata Hospital is being expanded into a fully fledged general facility, and Katete is to receive a new district hospital. The President also pointed to the expansion of the Social Cash Transfer programme, with payments raised to K1,000 per beneficiary, and pledged to broaden the number of farmers covered by the Farmer Input Support Programme.

The campaign argument

The pledges came wrapped in a continuity argument. Hichilema urged residents to resist opposition promises, warning that a change of government would reverse what has been built, and cited free education, expanded bursaries and decentralisation through the Constituency Development Fund as evidence of delivery.

Going back means undoing every good thing we have built together.

— President Hakainde Hichilema, addressing supporters in Chipata, 2 August 2026 — <a href="https://www.sh.gov.zm/eastern-province-rising-president-hichilema-charts-a-new-path-of-progress/">State House</a>

The provincial visit also produced a realignment. The Resolute Party formally endorsed Hichilema's candidacy, with leader Martin Phiri announcing a break from the Tonse Alliance and urging members to back the ruling party. Other figures, including Miles Sampa, joined parliamentary candidates in Katete in calling for support.

Background

The pledges follow a pattern set across the campaign. Kwacha News reported on the Copperbelt swing in which the President urged voters to protect development gains and on the Muchinga visit. Road works have been a recurring theme, as with the widening of Lusaka's Twin Palm Road into a dual carriageway.

Solar capacity has been the government's answer to drought-driven power shortages, including lifting the Chisamba solar project to 200MW. This report is part of Kwacha News's local coverage.

What to watch

Watch whether the Great East Road widening appears as a funded line in the next national budget, because a dual carriageway across that distance is a multi-year capital commitment rather than a single-year works item. Watch the Chipata West solar commissioning date. And watch whether the Social Cash Transfer figure of K1,000 holds after the vote.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Great East Road?

In short, the Great East Road is the trunk route linking Lusaka to Chipata and the Malawian border. Simply put, it is Eastern Province's main artery for both people and freight. The key is that it carries agricultural output to market, so its condition sets the effective price farmers receive.

How much power will the Chipata West solar project add?

The answer is 100 megawatts. Data from State House shows the project is about halfway complete. Analysis of Zambia's generation mix shows why that matters: the country's dependence on hydropower left it rationing electricity when drought cut output, and solar capacity reduces that exposure.

Why is Eastern Province politically important?

Because it is a populous province that is not part of the incumbent's traditional base. In other words, it is contested territory in a 14-way presidential race. Evidence from previous Zambian elections shows provincial swings of this kind deciding national margins.

Who benefits from the Social Cash Transfer?

Vulnerable households, including the elderly, people with disabilities and families caring for children without income. According to State House, payments have been raised to K1,000 per beneficiary. Research on cash transfer programmes shows the money is spent mainly on food, school costs and health, which means it circulates locally.

What are the real risks to these pledges?

Analysis of Zambian capital projects reveals three durable risks: fiscal space, since a dual carriageway competes with debt service and social spending; delivery capacity, since the Chipata to Lundazi road has been promised before; and continuity, since pledges made in a campaign depend on who forms the next government. Each risk is about execution rather than intent.

Sources

State House: Eastern Province Rising: President Hichilema Charts a New Path of Progress, 2 August 2026, and President Hichilema Pledges Infrastructure and Growth Boost for Eastern Province Districts, 3 August 2026.