The ceremonial opening of Parliament will take place on Friday, 16th January 2009 at 10 00 hours, and will be graced by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Rupiah Bwezani Banda. This will mark the beginning of the Third Session of the Tenth National Assembly. This occasion is full of pomp and splendour with the Zambia Army mounting a guard of honour and presenting a 21-gun salute, while the Zambia Air Force performs a picturesque fly-past.  

The official opening of Parliament is a forum at which the government presents its programme of work for the year. The President’s keynote address to the House and the nation at large will also serve as a prelude to the national budget for 2009, which is expected to be presented by the Hon. Minister of Finance and National Planning on Friday, 30th January, 2009.

As the House convenes for the first meeting in 2009, among others, Hon Members will be expected to debate the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Speech, consider Questions for Oral and Written Answer and deliberate on several pieces of legislation to render legal support to the decisions of the House. However, as this is the Budget session, the main business of the House will involve analyzing and passing of the budget.

It is interesting to note that this will be the first official opening of Parliament by the new President, His Excellency Rupiah Banda who was elected in November 2008 in a Presidential by-election following the death of the late President of Zambia, Dr Levy Patrick Mwanawasa, SC, in France in August 2008.