[1] The province is elongated from southwest to northeast and is located on both sides of the Muchinga Mountains (Muchinga Escarpment), which serve as a divide between the drainage basins of the Zambezi River (Indian Ocean) and the Congo River (Atlantic Ocean).

The creation of a province was announced by President Michael Sata in October 2011.

[2] In November 2011, the president appointed Malozo Sichone as the first Muchinga Province Minister.

The administrative head of the province is the Permanent Secretary, appointed by the President.

There is a Deputy Permanent Secretary, heads of government departments and civil servants at the provincial level.

[21] The administrative staff of the council is selected based on Local Government Service Commission from within or outside the district.

The government stipulates 63 different functions for the councils with the majority of them being infrastructure management and local administration.

Councils are mandated to maintain each of their community centres, zoos, local parks, drainage system, playgrounds, cemeteries, caravan sites, libraries, museums and art galleries.

They also work along with specific government departments for helping in agriculture, conservation of natural resources, postal service, establishing and maintaining hospitals, schools and colleges.

[22] The TAZARA Railway, which connects Kapiri Mposhi with Tanzania crosses the province from southwest to northeast.

In Mpika, another major road branches north to Kasama and Lake Tanganyika (the M1 Route).