Chama (Zambia)

Chama is the town that is the government seat of the Chama district in the Eastern Province of Zambia.

Chama is populated by the Senga and some Tumbuka peoples. Chisenga is the primary language, though Chitumbuka is widely understood and spoken, as is Nyanja.

Get in
Chama is connected to the rest of Zambia only by a notoriously bad untarred road from Chipata via Lundazi. The road is tarred up to Lundazi, its condition depending on the season.

Eat
Chama is (locally) famous for its rice, a welcome alternative to the usual nsima.

The local Senga people also are known for eating mice, or "mbewe", during certain seasons.

Electrical power in Chama is sporadic, and so cold drinks are hard to come by. Most shops carry a small selection of bottled soda -- Sprite, Coke and Fanta -- and sometimes beer. Mosi (the Zambian label) and Castle (a common South African beer) are often available. Carlsberg is also often available, as it is bottled in Malawi and carried over the border for sale in the bars and shops of Chama.

Sleep
A couple of small guest houses offer accommodation for a few dollars a night.