Mwinilunga#Kalene Hills Fruit Factory

The town lies on the west bank of the West Lunga River, along the Chingola–Solwezi–Mwinilunga Road (T5 Road of Zambia), which continues north-westwards to Caianda, in Angola. Mwinilunga is located approximately {{convert|275|km|0}}, by road, west of Solwezi, the provincial capital.{{google maps| title=Road Distance Between Mwinilunga, Zambia And Solwezi, Zambia |access-date=28 May 2020 | url=https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Mwinilunga,+Zambia/Solwezi,+Zambia/@-12.0669184,24.2635164,7.5z/data=!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x197b741db2dfb0b1:0x85f2628c9bd62628!2m2!1d24.4232735!2d-11.7401439!1m5!1m1!1s0x196fd55ea47c1e0f:0x724a4e5fa6d6233f!2m2!1d26.3839765!2d-12.1668712!3e0}} Another tarmacked state road (D286 Road of Zambia), leads south to Kabompo, the capital of Kabompo District. Kabompo town is approximately {{convert|247|km|0}} south of Mwinilunga.{{google maps|url=https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Mwinilunga,+Zambia/Kabompo,+Zambia/@-13.1543561,23.5854051,7.42z/data=!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x197b741db2dfb0b1:0x85f2628c9bd62628!2m2!1d24.4232735!2d-11.7401439!1m5!1m1!1s0x196406252a8dbef5:0xeb0c35a02d5e25eb!2m2!1d24.200412!2d-13.5940691!3e0 |title=Road Distance Between Mwinilunga, Zambia And Kabompo, Zambia |access-date=28 May 2020}}

Mwinilunga sits in the extreme north-western corner of the country, close to the international borders with Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The geographical coordinates of Mwinilunga, Zambia are:11°43'02.0"S, 24°25'44.0"E

(Latitude:-11.717222; Longitude:24.428889).{{google maps|title=Location of Mwinilunga, Zambia | url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/11%C2%B043'02.0%22S+24%C2%B025'44.0%22E/@-13.392693,24.1495237,8.79z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d-11.7172222!4d24.4288889 |access-date=28 May 2020}} The average elevation of the town is {{convert|1391|m|0}} above mean sea level.{{cite web|date=28 May 2020 | url=https://www.floodmap.net/Elevation/ElevationMap/?gi=902620 | title=Elevation of Mwinilunga, Zambia |publisher=Floodmap.net | access-date=28 May 2020 |author=Flood Map}}

This is one of the wettest places in Zambia with annual rainfall of about {{convert|1400|mm|in}} falling in the rainy season from October to May.

{{Weather box

| width = auto

| collapsed =

| metric first = yes

| single line = yes

| location = Mwinilunga (1991–2020, extremes 1961–2020)

| Jan record high C = 36.0

| Feb record high C = 37.5

| Mar record high C = 31.8

| Apr record high C = 33.0

| May record high C = 32.0

| Jun record high C = 31.0

| Jul record high C = 31.4

| Aug record high C = 37.5

| Sep record high C = 37.5

| Oct record high C = 37.0

| Nov record high C = 37.0

| Dec record high C = 32.5

| year record high C =

| Jan high C = 27.1

| Feb high C = 27.2

| Mar high C = 27.6

| Apr high C = 28.0

| May high C = 27.9

| Jun high C = 26.5

| Jul high C = 26.5

| Aug high C = 29.2

| Sep high C = 31.6

| Oct high C = 31.0

| Nov high C = 28.5

| Dec high C = 27.1

| year high C = 28.5

| Jan mean C = 21.9

| Feb mean C = 21.9

| Mar mean C = 22.0

| Apr mean C = 21.3

| May mean C = 19.1

| Jun mean C = 17.0

| Jul mean C = 17.1

| Aug mean C = 19.4

| Sep mean C = 22.4

| Oct mean C = 23.1

| Nov mean C = 22.5

| Dec mean C = 22.0

| year mean C = 20.8

| Jan low C = 16.7

| Feb low C = 16.6

| Mar low C = 16.3

| Apr low C = 14.5

| May low C = 10.2

| Jun low C = 7.4

| Jul low C = 7.7

| Aug low C = 9.5

| Sep low C = 13.1

| Oct low C = 15.2

| Nov low C = 16.5

| Dec low C = 16.8

| year low C = 13.4

| Jan record low C = 11.5

| Feb record low C = 11.0

| Mar record low C = 10.0

| Apr record low C = 7.8

| May record low C = 1.6

| Jun record low C = -1.9

| Jul record low C = 0.5

| Aug record low C = 0.9

| Sep record low C = 1.6

| Oct record low C = 7.5

| Nov record low C = 10.0

| Dec record low C = 7.3

| year record low C =

| precipitation colour = green

| Jan precipitation mm = 216.7

| Feb precipitation mm = 219.8

| Mar precipitation mm = 223.6

| Apr precipitation mm = 79.4

| May precipitation mm = 7.9

| Jun precipitation mm = 0.0

| Jul precipitation mm = 0.0

| Aug precipitation mm = 2.1

| Sep precipitation mm = 13.8

| Oct precipitation mm = 66.1

| Nov precipitation mm = 198.8

| Dec precipitation mm = 288.1

| year precipitation mm = 1316.3

|Jan humidity = 82.5

|Feb humidity = 84.6

|Mar humidity = 84.1

|Apr humidity = 77.6

|May humidity = 70.2

|Jun humidity = 64.5

|Jul humidity = 58.7

|Aug humidity = 50.8

|Sep humidity = 49.1

|Oct humidity = 67.8

|Nov humidity = 78.3

|Dec humidity = 83.7

|year humidity = 71.0

|Jan sun = 136.4

|Feb sun = 120.4

|Mar sun = 151.9

|Apr sun = 228.0

|May sun = 294.5

|Jun sun = 297.0

|Jul sun = 310.0

|Aug sun = 297.6

|Sep sun = 261.0

|Oct sun = 213.9

|Nov sun = 156.0

|Dec sun = 133.3

|year sun = 2600.0

| source 1 = NOAA (humidity and sun 1961–1990){{cite web

|url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/2.2/data/0-data/Region-1-WMO-Normals-9120/Zambia/CSV/Mwinilunga_67441.csv

|title = World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020 — Mwinilunga

|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

|access-date = January 24, 2024}}{{cite web |title=Mwinilunga MET Climate Normals 1961–1990 |publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |date=April 2015 |access-date=5 April 2015 |author=NOAA |location=Silver Spring, Maryland, United States |url=ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/TABLES/REG__I/ZA/67441.TXT}}

}}

Due to its proximity with Angola and DR Congo, Mwinilunga would have benefited from trade with the two neighboring countries. Poor roads, human conflict and lack of collective political will in the three countries, have so far prevented any meaningful trade policy from developing. The Zambezi River originates in Ikelenge District, in a community called Kalene Hill, approximately {{convert|80|km|0}} north of Mwinilunga town.{{google maps|title=Travel Distance Between Mwinilunga, Zambia And Kalene Hill, Zambia |accessdate=28 May 2020 | url=https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Mwinilunga,+Zambia/Kalene+Hill,+Zambia/@-11.4412735,24.1674295,8.96z/data=!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x197b741db2dfb0b1:0x85f2628c9bd62628!2m2!1d24.4232735!2d-11.7401439!1m5!1m1!1s0x197bf854a2cf7bef:0x59aace10ef77992!2m2!1d24.1885228!2d-11.1678972!3e0}}

The town had a population estimated at 14,500 in 2006. The Chilunda-speaking Kanongesha-Lunda people are the largest ethnic group, and are related to the Chibemba-speaking Kazembe-Lunda of Luapula Province. In 1990, the census carried out that year, put the town's population at 6,342 people. In 2000, the population was 10,745 inhabitants. During the 2010 national census, the population of Mwinilunga was enumerated at 15,704 people.{{cite web|title=Population of Zambian Cities and Urban Centres: Mwinilunga |publisher=Citypopulation.de |url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/zambia/cities/?cityid=21535 |author=Central Statistical Office Zambia and City Population | date=14 July 2019 |access-date=28 May 2020}} The table below illustrates the same data in tabular format.

Mwinilunga Secondary School is the largest school to date in town. Government and community schools are scattered in the neighborhoods surrounding the metropolitan area, and provide education for children from nursery through high school. Mwinilunga is also home to The Sakeji School, a primary boarding school.

Forest Fruits Limited has been operating in Mwinilunga since 1998, successfully working with over 7,000 beekeepers in the region to export organic honey to the European market. The company also employs about 100 staff.{{cite web| url=https://www.zambezigold.com/ |title=Certified Organic African Wild Honey |date=29 May 2020 |publisher=Zambezigold.com | author=Zambezi Gold |access-date=29 May 2020 |location=Lusaka}}

See: Mining in Zambia Kasenseli Gold Mine

In early August 2019 gold deposits were discovered and confirmed by experts from the Ministry of Mines and Mineral Development. The Government, through its subsidiary, ZCCM Investments Holdings (ZCCM-IH), intends to set up a gold mine in Chief Chibwika's area where the gold deposits have been discovered.{{cite web|newspaper=Lusaka Times |date=3 April 2020 | url=https://www.lusakatimes.com/2020/04/03/kasenseli-youths-want-gold-mining-rights/ |title=Kasenseli youths Mwinilunga district want gold mining rights |access-date=29 May 2020 |author=Lusaka Times}}{{cite web|date=27 April 2020 | url=https://www.znbc.co.zm/news/zccm-gold-injects-k45m-in-kasenseli-gold-mine/ |title=ZCCM Gold Injects K45m In Kasenseli Gold Mine |publisher=Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation |access-date=29 May 2020 |author=Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation |location=Lusaka}}

Commissioned: July 2022{{Cite web |last=openzambia |date=28 July 2022 |title=hh-opens-fruit-processing-factory-in-nw-province |url=https://www.openzambia.com/politics/2022/7/28/hh-opens-fruit-processing-factory-in-nw-province |access-date=30 July 2022 |website=openzambia.com}}

Construction Cost: ZMW 130.0 million (US$ 7.8 million)

Ownership: [https://kalenehills.tk/ Kalene Hills Fruit Company], a 100% Zambian-owned business set up with support from the [https://www.idc.co.zm/ Industrial Development Corporation].

Operations: Processing fruits as well as other products such as beans, groundnuts and tomatoes supplied by over 1,500 small-scale farmers.

Direct Jobs: 150

In-Direct Jobs: 780

In 2006 plans were formulated to extend the proposed railway to Solwezi to the town and even on to the Benguela Railway in Angola to avoid reliance on the line in the DR Congo, but these plans have not been confirmed and the Benguela Railway has not yet been re-opened. However, the Angolan transport ministry plans to build a line branching off the Benguela Railway at Luacano and entering Zambia from Macango, Angola.{{cite web

|url=http://www.transportes.gv.ao/reabilitacao-da-rede-ferroviaria-nacional

|title=Projecto de reabilitação e modernização dos caminhos de ferro de Angola

|language=Portuguese

|date=20 June 2011

|trans-title=Project to rehabilitate and modernize the Angolan railways

|last=Lourenço

|first=Manuel João

|publisher=Instituto Nacional dos Caminhos de Ferro de Angola (INCFA)/Angolan transport ministry

|access-date=13 March 2012

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140419031735/http://www.transportes.gv.ao/reabilitacao-da-rede-ferroviaria-nacional

|archive-date=19 April 2014

|url-status=dead}} The town is also home to ''Mwinilunga Airport.{{cite web| url=https://airportguide.com/airport/info/FLMW |date=29 May 2020 |title=Mwinilunga Airport: ICAO: FLMW |author=Airport Guide | access-date=29 May 2020 |publisher=Airporgtuide.com}}

Mwinilunga lies southeast of the Nchila Wildlife Reserve rainforest, known for its sable antelope and other large mammals, Luakela Forest Reserve and the Chitunta Plain, known for its birdlife and as the source of the Zambezi River. The annual Chisemwa cha Lunda ceremony held by Senior Chief Kanongesha of the Lunda draws crowds to the district every September.{{cite web|newspaper=Times of Zambia |date=13 September 1999 | url=https://allafrica.com/stories/199909130043.html | title=Zambia: Sata calls for peace in North-Western Province | author=Times of Zambia |access-date=29 May 2020 |location=Ndola, Zambia |format=via AllAfrica.com}}{{cite web|url=https://www.lusakatimes.com/2007/10/02/chisemwa-chalunda-a-symbol-of-unity-among-lundas/ |title=Chisemwa Chalunda – A Symbol of Unity Among Lundas |newspaper=Lusaka Times |date=2 October 2007 |author=Gideon Thole |access-date=29 May 2020}} Nyaunda Ceremony celebrated by Lundas of Senior Sailunga East of Mwinilunga.

{{reflist}}

• [https://allafrica.com/stories/201908120263.html/ Zambia: 3 Illegal Gold Miners Die in Mwinilunga] As at 12 August 2019.

{{Authority control}}

{{Districts of Northwestern Province}}

Category:Mwinilunga District

Category:Populated places in North-Western Province, Zambia