The History Behind The Name John Chinena Market

First Lady Esther Lungu buying green paper at John Chinena

By Paul Shalala

What is in a name?

Perhaps, that is a good question to pose around an area along the Great North Road in Chibombo District.

Of course, the famed William Shakespeare in Romeo and Juliet, tells us that a name is nothing because it does not change anything.

But this is one area with a somewhat offensive sounding name.

It has a name which NOT everyone is comfortable to say publicly.

“We know this area as John, John Chinena…… We feel shy to pronounce it but there’s nothing we can do,” said Juliet, a marketeer at John Chinena market.

And the name of this area in many languages is connected to private parts.

Even senior government officials would rather use an English word to describe it.

“We need to diversify the economy in Central Province…… At JOHN SOMETHING we can build an agro processing plant to help farmers preserve their goods, put value addition and boost their businesses,” said Edwidge Mutale, Central Province Permanent Secretary.

John Chinena is a market on either side of the Great North Road in both Chibombo and Chisamba districts.

This area is famous for its vegetables supplied throughout the year.

Motorists on this high way usually stop over to buy maize, water melons, tomatoes and other farm products.

But where did the name John Chinena come from?

The story starts from a local bar where an old man in the 1980s used to play a local game called nsolo and would shout “Ndakulya Chinena” every time he beats his opponents.

 Victor Chinena is a grandson to the man who was nicknamed John Chinena and now explains the history behind the name.

“My grandfather was born in 1924 and he died in 1994. He was good in nsolo. Every time he wins a game he would shout ‘Ndakulya Chinena.’ People ended up giving him the nickname John Chinena,” said Victor, whose details on his National Registration Card are Victor John Chinena.

On allegations that the name sterms from the old man’s insatiable appetite for sex, Victor confirms it.

“My grandfather had 10 girlfriends who gave him 10 children. He really loved women despite his advanced age.”

The popularity of the name John Chinena in the past 30 years has grown to an extent where the name has even been adopted by a village.

North of the market is a village called John Chinena were a relative of Victor is the headman.

John Chinena is also the area where a Post Bus coach was involved in a road accident in which over 70 people died in February 2013.

The area is famous for road accident and government is in the process of constructing a trauma center at the nearby Liteta District Hospital to treat hundreds of passengers who are caught up in accidents annually.

Hundreds Of Kitwe Youths May Be Defranchised In 2016 Elections

By Paul Shalala

ECZ Chairperson Esau Chulu being registered as a voter

Hundreds of young people in Kitwe are being turned away by voter registration officers when they show up at registration centers to register as voters.

The youths, who think that the officers are issuing both National Registration Cards (NRCs) and voters cards, may be defranchised next year during the general elections.

The on-going voter registration exercise which started on September 14 and closes on November 11 this year, is capturing new voters and replacing damaged or lost voters cards.

In some areas, this exercise is going hand in hand with the mobile issuance of National Registration Cards.

But on the Copperbelt, the mobile issuance of NRCs is yet to start and hundreds of potential young voters are being turned away at registration centers for not having NRCs.

Government has grouped provinces to receive mobile NRC teams in phases.

In Buchi ward, potential first time voters have been left out.

"Here in Buchi we have a challenge. Young people are eager to vote but they have no NRCs. They have been coming to Buchi Hall thinking they are also giving NRCs but they are being turned away," said Buchi Ward Councillor Bibian Nyeleti who was found at the registration center.

In neighbouring Lubuto ward, the situation is the same.

"There has not been much publicity about voters' cards here. But youths are coming in their hundreds and they are being turned away because they have no NRCs. We are appealing to government to bring the mobile insuance of NRCs here," said Mwila Mutale, Lubuto Ward councillor in an interview.

Godfridah Chulu

And Kitwe Deputy Mayor Godfridah Chulu, who recently toured registration centers in the city, has joined the call for the immediate issuance of mobile NRCs on the Copperbelt.

"The turn out across Kitwe is good but our worry is the young people who have no NRCs. They are eager to vote but they can not register. We appeal to the government to quickly move in and help the youths of Kitwe," said Mrs Chulu, who is also Lubwa Ward Councillor.

On Saturday, Chief Government Spokesperson Chishimba Kambwili said he would liaise with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Electoral Commission of Zambia to find a solution to the delayed issuance of NRCs in some provinces.

The first phase of the voter registration exercise came to an end on Sunday and the following day,  registration officers moved to their next centers.

At each registration center, officers are spending 14 days in the hope of capturing 1. 6 million new voters to bring the total of registered voters in the voters’ register to 6.8 million people.