Monze

Monze is a prominent town in the Southern Province of Zambia, with a population of 268,432 according to the 2022 census. It is located about 180 kilometers south-west of Lusaka. It serves as the administrative center for the Monze District.

The town is named after Chief Monze, widely acknowledged as the spiritual leader of the Tonga people who inhabit the district. His palace is south of the town near a place called Gonde where a ceremony called Lwiindi takes place. This annual festival is a thanksgiving ceremony which attracts many people from around the country.

Monze is a rapidly urbanising town with growth extending along the railway line and T1 highway. The town is divided into neighbourhoods known locally as ‘compounds’. There is a substantial open-air market in Monze and a small but growing range of agri-dealerships, shops, bars and restaurants.