Kabwe is the capital of the Zambian Central Province and the Kabwe District , with a population estimated at 288,598 at the 2022 census. Named Broken Hill until 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.
37-428: Kabwe is an important transportation, farming and university centre. Kabwe is becoming a major agricultural hub for the country is the headquarters for Zambia Railways and prison services. Additionally the mining industry has been important to the economic development of the region. However, because of the exceptional contamination of the city with lead and other toxins, and the effects of these on local children's health,
74-462: A human fossil , a skull, dubbed Kabwe 1 , also "Broken Hill Man" or "Rhodesian Man" (classified as Homo rhodesiensis or Homo heidelbergensis ) was found in the mine. Anglo American plc became the majority owner of the mine in 1925, until the mine was nationalized in 1974 by the Zambian government, who closed it in 1994. The mine, which occupies a 2.5 km site 1 km south-west of
111-492: A subtropical highland climate ( Cwa ) with warm, wet summers, mild dry winters and hot springs. 14°26′S 28°27′E / 14.433°S 28.450°E / -14.433; 28.450 Zambia Railways Zambia Railways (ZR) is the national railway company of Zambia and one of the two major railway organisations in Zambia. The other system is the binational TAZARA Railway (TAZARA) that interconnects with
148-531: A March 2022 report by the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment identified the town as a sacrifice zone for industry. The first railway in the country, operated by Rhodesian Railways when the territory was administered as North-Western Rhodesia the rail line reached Broken Hill mine as early as 1906, and the town became the northern base for the railway, which was
185-660: A tender in respect of the Zambia Railways Concession. The Consortium was declared the winner with the signing of the Freight Concession Agreement on 14 February 2003. The Concession was to operate for a period of 20 years with a possible extension for a further 10 years. However, in September 2012, the government revoked the concession and Zambia Railways resumed control. There are no current international passenger services of
222-440: A tender in respect of the Zambia Railways Concession. The Consortium was declared the winner with the signing of the Freight Concession Agreement on 14 February 2003. The Concession was to operate for a period of 20 years with a possible extension for a further 10 years. However, in September 2012, the government revoked the concession and Zambia Railways resumed control. There are no current international passenger services of
259-603: Is on the T2 road ( Great North Road ) to Kapiri Mposhi in the north (with a branch route to Ndola ) and Lusaka in the south. It is also on the Zambia Railways line. On February 7, 2013, a bus collided with two cars south of Kabwe, killing 53 people. Historically the economy of Kabwe has been dominated by the mine. Other industries include pharmaceuticals, milling and cotton ginning, and Kabwe's first Drinking Water Plant (Aquador Purifed Water) and leather tanning . To
296-597: The Mulobezi Railway , a branch line from Livingstone , built as a private timber line. In the mid-1960s, spurred by the Rhodesian UDI crisis, the newly independent Zambia split its railways off from Rhodesia Railways, and Zambia Railways came into being. Railway Systems of Zambia Limited (RSZ) was a private company incorporated and registered in Zambia. It is a subsidiary of NLPI Ltd, an investment holding company. The NLPI Consortium participated in
333-469: The Mulobezi Railway , a branch line from Livingstone , built as a private timber line. In the mid-1960s, spurred by the Rhodesian UDI crisis, the newly independent Zambia split its railways off from Rhodesia Railways, and Zambia Railways came into being. Railway Systems of Zambia Limited (RSZ) was a private company incorporated and registered in Zambia. It is a subsidiary of NLPI Ltd, an investment holding company. The NLPI Consortium participated in
370-552: The Sena railway between Mozambique , Malawi and Zambia , allowing access to the port of Nacala , was first planned in 1982. On the Malawi side of the border, the line to Mchinji was finished in 1984, but a connection to Chipata in Zambia was only opened in 2010. This line remains idle because there are few facilities at Chipata. Zambia Railways Zambia Railways (ZR) is the national railway company of Zambia and one of
407-572: The Tanzanian capital and major East African port of Dar es Salaam . After being operated jointly by the two nationalised railway systems, the Chinese again took over the running of TAZARA in a joint transport agreement from January 2007, which covered both direct air links to Beijing Capital International Airport and copper ore export. Via Victoria Falls Bridge the Zimbabwe rail network and
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#1732766115267444-406: The Tanzanian capital and major East African port of Dar es Salaam . After being operated jointly by the two nationalised railway systems, the Chinese again took over the running of TAZARA in a joint transport agreement from January 2007, which covered both direct air links to Beijing Capital International Airport and copper ore export. Via Victoria Falls Bridge the Zimbabwe rail network and
481-633: The European/Australian prospectors named it Broken Hill after a similar mine in Broken Hill, New South Wales , Australia. The mine was the largest in the country for around thirty years until it was overtaken in the early 1930s by larger copper mining complexes on the Copperbelt . Apart from lead and zinc it also produced silver , manganese and heavy metals such as cadmium , vanadium , and titanium in smaller quantities. In 1921
518-687: The ZR at Kapiri Mposhi and provides a link to the Tanzanian port of Dar es Salaam . Currently, the Zambia Railways Line travels from the Victoria Falls border to Chingola via Livingstone , Choma , Mazabuka , Lusaka , Kabwe , Kapiri Mposhi , Ndola and Kitwe for freight services. Passenger services are only offered from Livingstone to Kitwe. The 1,067 mm ( 3 ft 6 in ) gauge Cape gauge ZR network
555-774: The ZR, only of the TAZARA railway . Some tour companies have run special services on the ZR network. The Copperbelt reaches into the Katanga province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo with mines at Lubumbashi and further north-west. The ZR network connects to Lubumbashi via Ndola and Sakania . At one time the Lubumbashi line connected to the Benguela Railway through Angola to Lobito Bay , but
592-422: The ZR, only of the TAZARA railway . Some tour companies have run special services on the ZR network. The Copperbelt reaches into the Katanga province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo with mines at Lubumbashi and further north-west. The ZR network connects to Lubumbashi via Ndola and Sakania . At one time the Lubumbashi line connected to the Benguela Railway through Angola to Lobito Bay , but
629-522: The east of the city are the hydro-electric power stations of the Mulungushi Dam , Mita Hills Dam and Lunsemfwa Falls , built to power the mine and town. Commercial farming areas surround the city about 10 km from the centre, and the road and rail links provide ready access to the markets of the Copperbelt and Lusaka. The name Kabwe or Kabwe-Ka Mukuba means 'ore' or 'smelting' but
666-499: The future Zambia early in 1905 when the 150 km Livingstone-Kalomo line was built in advance of completion in September of that year of the Victoria Falls Bridge from the then Southern Rhodesia to Livingstone . The first wagons on the line were hauled by oxen, then a single locomotive was conveyed in pieces by cableway across the gorge where the bridge was being built to start up operations to Kalomo in advance of
703-427: The future Zambia early in 1905 when the 150 km Livingstone-Kalomo line was built in advance of completion in September of that year of the Victoria Falls Bridge from the then Southern Rhodesia to Livingstone . The first wagons on the line were hauled by oxen, then a single locomotive was conveyed in pieces by cableway across the gorge where the bridge was being built to start up operations to Kalomo in advance of
740-403: The line did not operate from the 1970s, until reopening in 2018. As most of its major export routes ran through then apartheid controlled South Africa , Zambia needed an alternate export route for its copper. In 1976, Chinese construction crews completed the 1,860-kilometer-long Tanzania-Zambia Railway (TAZARA) which runs from Kapiri Mposhi (200 km north of the Zambia capital Lusaka ), to
777-403: The line did not operate from the 1970s, until reopening in 2018. As most of its major export routes ran through then apartheid controlled South Africa , Zambia needed an alternate export route for its copper. In 1976, Chinese construction crews completed the 1,860-kilometer-long Tanzania-Zambia Railway (TAZARA) which runs from Kapiri Mposhi (200 km north of the Zambia capital Lusaka ), to
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#1732766115267814-457: The local water supply. A 2014 report indicates that children's blood lead levels continue to be elevated even though mining has stopped. A 2020 study, found high levels of lead and cadmium in blood levels. A March 2022 report by the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment identified the town as a sacrifice zone for industry. Other studies, have found high potential for copper, cobalt and other non-lead materials in leachate from
851-646: The main line connection. Another major bridge was required to cross the Kafue River and the 427 m long Kafue Railway Bridge , the longest on the Rhodesia Railways or Zambian Railways network, was completed in 1906. The line reached Broken Hill ( Kabwe ) in 1906 and Ndola in the Copperbelt in 1909 (connecting to Sakania in the Belgian Congo ), some 20 years before the first large-scale copper mines opened there. Zambia Railways operates
888-457: The main line connection. Another major bridge was required to cross the Kafue River and the 427 m long Kafue Railway Bridge , the longest on the Rhodesia Railways or Zambian Railways network, was completed in 1906. The line reached Broken Hill ( Kabwe ) in 1906 and Ndola in the Copperbelt in 1909 (connecting to Sakania in the Belgian Congo ), some 20 years before the first large-scale copper mines opened there. Zambia Railways operates
925-523: The mine. A class action lawsuit was launched against Anglo American plc , alleging that it ignored the required safety standards despite knowing about the harms caused. Anglo-American was the majority owner of the mine from 1925 until its 1974 nationalization by the Zambian government. A certification hearing was held at the High Court of South Africa 's Johannesburg branch in February 2023. Kabwe
962-605: The outskirts of the city, Makululu is an important district in the town. The settlement is on the edge of the Lukanga Swamp , and is thus vulnerable to flooding. Similarly, the water is highly contaminated from both poor sanitation and the broader industrial pollution from the mine. A study by the Blacksmith Institute found Kabwe to be one of the ten most polluted places in the world due mostly to heavy metal (mostly zinc and lead) tailings making their way into
999-591: The ports in Mozambique ( Beira , Maputo ) and the South African Railways of South Africa can be reached. The condition of the 100-year-old bridge restricts traffic. Up to the mid-1960s, passenger and sleeper services ran from Ndola to Bulawayo , Zimbabwe (then Rhodesia ), connecting with a sleeper service to Cape Town and the Union Castle shipping line to Southampton , UK . This
1036-399: The ports in Mozambique ( Beira , Maputo ) and the South African Railways of South Africa can be reached. The condition of the 100-year-old bridge restricts traffic. Up to the mid-1960s, passenger and sleeper services ran from Ndola to Bulawayo , Zimbabwe (then Rhodesia ), connecting with a sleeper service to Cape Town and the Union Castle shipping line to Southampton , UK . This
1073-594: The powerful Rhodesia Railway Workers Union (RRWU), who became prime minister of the ill-fated Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland , which was opposed by the Northern Rhodesia Railway trade union (the black Africans' union) led by Dixon Konkola and also based in Kabwe. Today, the town is the headquarters of Zambia Railways but employment levels on the railway have been heavily cut. Reflecting Kabwe's central location and railway union base, it
1110-462: The second biggest employer after the mining industry. A locomotive maintenance facility was constructed there. In 1909 the railway reached Ndola in the Lambaland which was to become the Copperbelt . The railway workers' unions played a large role in the politics of the country. In racially segregated colonial times before Africans had the vote, the town was the seat of Roy Welensky , leader of
1147-489: The town centre, is closed but metals are still extracted from old tailings . Closure of the mine led to economic decline for Kabwe. It has a number of manufacturing industries including the Zambia-China Mulungushi textiles plant established with Chinese investment in the 1980s, but after suffering large losses this plant closed (temporarily according to management) at the beginning of 2007. Kabwe has
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1184-580: The two major railway organisations in Zambia. The other system is the binational TAZARA Railway (TAZARA) that interconnects with the ZR at Kapiri Mposhi and provides a link to the Tanzanian port of Dar es Salaam . Currently, the Zambia Railways Line travels from the Victoria Falls border to Chingola via Livingstone , Choma , Mazabuka , Lusaka , Kabwe , Kapiri Mposhi , Ndola and Kitwe for freight services. Passenger services are only offered from Livingstone to Kitwe. The 1,067 mm ( 3 ft 6 in ) gauge Cape gauge ZR network
1221-470: Was built during British colonial rule as part of the vision of the Cape-Cairo railway but the economic spur was to access the mines of Central Africa. The railway started as part of Rhodesia Railways , the company which ran the railways of Northern Rhodesia and Southern Rhodesia as an integrated operation, which was one of the largest employers and enterprises in both countries. The railway arrived in
1258-412: Was built during British colonial rule as part of the vision of the Cape-Cairo railway but the economic spur was to access the mines of Central Africa. The railway started as part of Rhodesia Railways , the company which ran the railways of Northern Rhodesia and Southern Rhodesia as an integrated operation, which was one of the largest employers and enterprises in both countries. The railway arrived in
1295-578: Was chosen as the site for a rally held on October 26, 1958, at Mulungushi Rock north of the city by the Kaunda - Kapwepwe breakaway group from the Zambian African National Congress . Later, they founded the political party UNIP which led the successful independence movement and continued to hold conferences at Mulungushi Rock , which became known as the 'birthplace of independence' in Zambia. A large informal settlement on
1332-557: Was the main travel route between south-central Africa and Europe before the Jet age . The journey from Ndola to Cape Town took five days. Ndola-Bulawayo passenger services ended when Zambia suspended all services across the Victoria Falls Bridge in response to Rhodesia's UDI crisis. Freight services were occasionally resumed up to the line re-opening in 1980, but successful passenger services have not resumed. A rail link to
1369-436: Was the main travel route between south-central Africa and Europe before the Jet age . The journey from Ndola to Cape Town took five days. Ndola-Bulawayo passenger services ended when Zambia suspended all services across the Victoria Falls Bridge in response to Rhodesia's UDI crisis. Freight services were occasionally resumed up to the line re-opening in 1980, but successful passenger services have not resumed. A rail link to
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