As the saying goes, “Accountability breeds responsibility.” Change does not happen by accident, it happens when someone is willing to hold others accountable. Dennis Chintelelwe, a 2015 graduate, embodies this truth through the vital role he plays in ensuring leaders in his constituency remain accountable to the commitments they make to the people they serve.
Dennis began his journey of transformation at African Christian College in 2013 with a strong interest in leadership. Even then, it was evident that he understood the importance of leadership in shaping communities. Reflecting on his time in college, he shared, “I had an innate desire to learn about leadership, with the dream of one day becoming a leader in my community.” After completing his Bachelor of Theology degree with a major in Organisational Leadership, Dennis returned to Zambia and continued to pursue a life of service and responsibility.
After exploring several opportunities, Dennis was appointed to work in the National Assembly office. In this role, he supports the work of a Member of Parliament while ensuring executives and implementing bodies remain accountable for their responsibilities. His work focuses on practical oversight and coordination to ensure that development goals are achieved. Among his key responsibilities are monitoring the progress of government funded projects, verifying implementation against approved plans, engaging with community members to identify challenges, documenting gaps in service delivery, and reporting findings to relevant authorities for action.
Dennis also participates in evaluating project outcomes, facilitating communication between community leaders and government offices, and supporting corrective measures when projects stall or fail to meet expectations.
“I love the work I do because I understand what is required for the development agenda of the country to be achieved,” he explained. “In many cases, inefficiency is a result of incompetence or lack of follow through, so my role is to check progress, investigate concerns, and help resolve problems so that we are not held back as a country.”
Another important dimension of Dennis’ effectiveness is his calling as a minister of the Word of God. Alongside his professional responsibilities, he remains actively involved in ministry within the community.
“I carry out a number of ministry activities, including working with New Life Behavior to teach and equip believers with the Word of God,” he shared.
Community members trust Dennis not only because of his position, but because of his character and integrity as a Christian. Leaders also understand that corruption is not tolerated in his presence, as he represents values grounded in faith. “As a minister, I must represent the body of Christ well, because whatever I do reflects on the Christian community,” he added.
Dennis remains grateful for the preparation he received at African Christian College. The leadership foundation he gained continues to shape how he approaches both his work and ministry. “I still draw from courses such as Project Management, Community Development, and Behavior Change Psychology to analyse situations, evaluate progress, and suggest appropriate interventions,” he noted. Life on campus also involved spiritual, physical, and emotional formation, experiences that continue to influence how he serves today.
Dennis was equipped for servant leadership, and today he carries the responsibility of holding other leaders accountable in his constituency. Through diligence, integrity, and service, he is contributing to community transformation by ensuring that public officials fulfil their responsibilities. This is the kind of leadership Africa needs.
You can be equipped too.