First Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Zambia, Honourable Malungo Chisangano, MP has urged Parliamentarians to effectively engage the Rural Electrification Authority (REA) in an effort to enhance rural electrification given the surge in Constituency Development Funds. She said this when she officiated at the three-day symposium organised by REA for MPs on the ‘electrification of public facilities’ in rural areas using CDF, on Tuesday 11^th July, 2023 at Parliament Buildings.

Honourable Chisangano said the appeal to Members comes as funds available for constituency development have seen a significant rise, creating an opportunity to prioritize and enhance electricity access in remote areas. 

She also reminded Members of Parliament of the REA Symposium held in March, 2022 at which Members resolved that REA could use part of the CDF to electrify public facilities in rural areas, stating that it had received support from the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development.

The First Deputy Speaker further noted that efforts to boost rural electrification had gained momentum in recent years, but that there was still much progress to be made as most Constituencies in Zambia are located in rural areas, with little or no access to electricity, making them lag behind in development. She thus urged Members of Parliament and REA to collaborate in determining the best approach to electrifying the rural public facilities and uplift communities by bridging the electricity divide.

Speaking in an interview, the REA CEO Eng. Linus Chanda highlighted that his organisation is waiting upon the Ministries of Energy and Local Government and Rural Development to be given the go ahead to access the proposed one million kwacha (K1, 000,000) from each constituency in order to speed up rural electrification of public facilities in rural areas.

Meanwhile, the Acting Deputy Clerk-Administration, Mrs Loveness M Mayaka, stated that partnerships between Parliamentarians and various stakeholders such as REA, were very important as they helped Members of Parliament actualise projects in their constituencies especially with the increased allocation and scope of the Constituency development Fund (CDF). 

During the three day Symposium which was held from 11^th to 13^th July, 2023, REA officials expounded to Members various topics including rendering the current status of the implementation of the Rural Electrification Programme in Zambia. The symposium served as platform for Members of Parliament to have an in-depth engagement with the Rural Electrification Authority.