Journey Along the Great East Road

From Great North Road

By Kenneth Miller.
March 2002

Lusaka, is situated at the junction on the Great North Road, which so many of us have travelled, and the Great East Road which is equally important.

The Great East Road runs from Lusaka in the West to Chipata in the East and then on to Malawi.

In June of 1956, the Miller clan found themselves stranded for a week in Chipata, or as it was then known, Fort Jamieson and less formally as Fort Jimmy.

In 1898, Fort Jamieson was originally laid out as the capital of North-Eastern Rhodesia. Lusaka only became the capital in 1935. Fort Jimmy remained as the provincial capital for the Eastern Province.

While biding our time in Fort Jimmy, we stayed at Codrington House which was the local government hostel.

Heather's recent pictures of Chipata, brought back a rush of memories. I recall visiting the old church, the oldest in Zambia, and seeing the plaques that were dedicated to the pioneers that had settled in the area.

The African market was a lively and colourful place where the vendors haggled with their customers over the prices of their fuit and vegetables.

In the 1950's travellers would invariably encounter friends and aquaintences from mutual postings. One was never a stranger for long when visiting a new town.

Barry Leger with the Northern Rhodesia Police and his wife Jean had been friends of the family in Kasama where we had been posted in the early 50's. Uncle Barry as I knew him was a jovial individual with a large handle bar moustache, drove a green M.G., and was certainly an enthusiastic participant in the daily ritual of "Sun Downers", as were I recall my parents.

While staying at Codrington House, we met Norman and Maureen Sutherland who had just arrived from Scotland with two infant sons. I can't recall the boys names, however I recall them being tyrants and my Dad refered to them as the "Winkies". Norman was an engineer with PWD.They later were transfered to Lusaka.

Years later Norman, took me to Feira, another major centre on the confluence of the Zambezi and Luangwa Rivers, which is now just a place on the map.Feira which lies South from the Great East Road had been a thriving town when Fort Jamieson was being established.

After several days, my Mum flew back to Lusaka, and my Dad and I hitched a ride with a Dr. Salmon who was an entomoligist. We headed West for Lusaka, 370 miles down the dusty corrugated highway, stopping at every village where the good doctor would inspect the maize for any creepy crawlies that would be lurking amongst the corn husks.

We crossed over the Luangwa River, and stopped to appreciate the magnificant view. Being the dry season the mighty Luangwa was a slow moving narrow body of murky water which meandered gently towards the mightier Zambesi. Our African driver, replenished the water in the red mud encrusted water bags that were hung in front of the land-rover's grill.

After a tedious day of hunting creepy crawlies, we stayed the night in Petauke, before continuing our journey the next morning to the nation's capital.