Cuemba – With the motto 'Business Opportunities', the municipality of Cuemba, province of Bié, celebrates today, January 18, 60 years of existence, with a completely improved look, as a result of the construction of several infrastructures, for the good of the populations.
Located 164 kilometers east of the city of Cuito, the provincial capital, this region has grown every day, as a result of investments made by the Executive, especially in the areas of education, health, bridges, rehabilitation of secondary roads, agriculture, among others.
Founded on January 18, 1964, Cuemba is one of nine municipalities in the province of Bié, made up of the communes of Luando, Sachinemuna and Munhango, grouped into four tribes, namely Luimbi, Nganguela, Kiocos and Songos, the majority of which are peasants.
This municipality began to show the first signs of development in the last five years, when the President of the Republic, João Lourenço, visited this region for the first time, on October 19, 2019.
At the time, the Head of State opened the municipal hospital, with a capacity of one hundred beds, a unit that also serves patients from the provinces of Moxico, Cuando Cubango, Lunda Norte and Lunda Sul and Malange, in the services of surgery, pediatrics, maternity, X-ray , ophthalmology, among others.
After the inauguration of the aforementioned infrastructure, Cuemba entered “the route” of development, through the Integrated Program for Intervention in Municipalities (PIIM), with a portfolio of 14 projects and actions, currently implemented at almost one hundred percent, which are benefiting the populations of both the headquarters and the municipalities of Luando, Munhango and Sachinemuna.
Of these completed projects, the most notable is the asphalting of the first six kilometers of road at the municipal headquarters, out of the 10 planned, a contract officially delivered in 2022. At the moment, the other four kilometers are underway and are in the conclusive phase.
With an area of 13,250 square kilometers, the more than 70,000 inhabitants of this municipality also gained, in February last year (2023), the largest concrete bridge built within the PIIM scope in the country, which will boost commercial exchanges between Bié and Moxico, especially.
With a length of 48 meters and a width of five meters, the bridge was built over the Cuemba River, replacing the old one, destroyed during the armed conflict, and has the capacity to support up to 60 tons.
Energy and Water improve
Currently, the seat of the municipality has a drinking water system, which assists more than 1,800 families, while in the communes the authorities have installed small water systems and points, covering some villages and villages.
This year, more than 8,000 inhabitants of the commune of Sachinemuna and the Administrative Center of Chindumba have returned to drinking water, after the recovery of two systems.
The equipment had been paralyzed since 2014 and has now been rehabilitated and expanded under the Integrated Program for Local Development and Combating Poverty (PIDLCP).
As for energy, Cuemba has a thermal power plant, with 1.6 megawatts, which benefits, in a first phase, close to a thousand homes and 600 public lighting stations.
Kwenda already assists families in Cuemba
The 'Kwenda' Social Protection Strengthening Program has already assisted twelve thousand 948 households in the municipality of Cuemba, with Social Monetary Transfers, since the end of the last quarter of last year, which is contributing to the improvement of the living conditions of the communities.
Each family is receiving 66,000 kwanzas, corresponding to six months.
Education grows considerably
The Education sector is also one of the fastest growing in recent times, with more than 280 classrooms, as a result of the Government's commitment through PIIM and the Program to Combat Poverty, compared to just over 50 classrooms that there were until 2019.
For this academic year, more than 25 thousand students are enrolled, from initiation to 13th grade, ensured by 704 teachers.
Municipality expects repair of the Cuito/Luena Road
At the end of December last year, the President of the Republic, João Lourenço, authorized the rehabilitation of the section that connects the towns of Cunje, Catabola and Camacupa, in a 71.80-kilometre extension of National Road 250, in the province of Bié.
For this contract, a value of 91 million 678 thousand 578 dollars and 16 cents was authorized. For the supervision of the works, expenditure of one thousand 902 million 330 thousand 496 kwanzas and 74 cents was authorized.
In fact, the project covers the rehabilitation of the entire national road 250, from Cuito to Moxico, in a route of approximately 800 kilometres, as it is of great importance for the southern and eastern corridor of the country, as it constitutes the main link with the Republic of Zambia.
With the completion of the works, the socio-economic expansion of that region is expected, allowing access to schools, health posts and other services of the Local State Administration and the development of the mining and timber industry.
During the 60th anniversary festivities, the government authorities are promoting cultural, civic, sports, recreational, and other activities, with the active participation of its inhabitants. JEC/PLB/DOJ
