Siavonga sits on the edge of the Kariba Dam, which holds the largest man-made lake in Africa. The town was established in the 1950s during the construction of the dam, a feat of engineering of its time. Kariba’s construction caused the displacement of the locals; they had to relocate to higher, rocky ground so that the fertile valley could be flooded.
The town’s centre seems stuck in time—the original buildings have sat there since the country was referred to as Northern Rhodesia. Holiday homes and high-end lodges are the newer architectural inhabitants.
This place is one of my favourite places to be: seemingly endless waters, islands, long and sandy or rocky beaches, and nostalgic sunsets. The sound of the evening waves are punctuated by the gentle chugging of the fishing boats as they use lights to attract fish to their nets. In the morning, the boats retreat to their docks.
The drive to Siavonga: rolling hills populated by ancient baobabs and smaller trees as white as bone during the dry season. Skeleton trees, I call them. Here and there, isolated huts and small settlements, and cattle, goats, and sheep that disrupt the drive every so often.
As charming as the small lake-side town is, Siavonga remains overlooked as a tourist destination due to the lack of accommodating infrastructure. The roads are in desperate need of much needed maintenance while the locals require accessible housing. Many houses are built on rocky outcrops that can be accessed via precarious stairs which hinder the comings and goings of those with mobility limitations.
There are other complicated factors that keep Siavonga out of the limelight as a travel destination. The dream, however, is to see it develop and become a go-to place in my lifetime.
Namukolo Siyumbwa is one of the few prominent female portrait and events photographers in Zambia. In 2023, she was a runner-up in the Sony World Photography Awards in the creative photography category. She has shot for Reuters and featured her work in international and local exhibitions. She is a mentor and the current chapter lead of Unpublished Zambia by Unpublished Africa. She is also the visual arts editor of Ubwali Literary Magazine.