FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER HON MALUNGO A CHISANGANO VISITS CONSTITUENCY OFFICES IN CENTRAL PROVINCE
The First Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Hon Malungo A Chisangano, MP, undertook a tour of selected Constituency Offices in Central Province from 2nd to 8th June, 2025.
Hon Chisangano commenced her tour by paying a courtesy call on the Provincial Minister and Katuba Member of Parliament, Hon Mwabashike Nkulukusa on 2nd June, 2025, at the Provincial office in Kabwe, Central Province.
She informed Hon Nkulukusa that the purpose of her tour was two-fold, firstly to gain an in-depth understanding about the operations of Constituency Offices, as well as to appreciate the challenges. Secondly, to plant trees at each constituency office visited, and to raise awareness among the people on the importance of the exercise. She highlighted that the National Assembly envisaged to plant trees in all the 156 constituencies of the country, to contribute towards the fight against climate change. The First Deputy Speaker stated that the tree planting exercise was being promoted under the ‘Promoting Greener Parliaments campaign of the Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU), which was launched by the Speaker of the National Assembly in 2022.
During her visit to the constituency offices, the First Deputy Speaker noted that most Constituency Offices shared similar challenges, which included, but not limited to, inadequate funding to undertake outreach programmes, lack of furniture, transport and backup power facilities. Another notable challenge, concerned Constituency Offices that were renting office space, especially those in rural areas. Furthermore, Hon Chisangano learnt that there was lack of understanding by the people on the role of the Member of Parliament and that of the Constituency Office. She called for the need to intensify outreach programmes to raise awareness among the people.
The First Deputy Speaker was pleased by the number of projects that had been completed and those yet to be commissioned through the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), in some constituencies. She urged the Members of Parliament to continue collaborating with the Local Authorities to ensure that more developmental projects were implemented in respective constituencies.
The First Deputy Speaker visited Kabwe Central, Lufubu, Kapiri Mposhi, Mkushi North, Muchinga, Serenje and Chitambo constituencies. She was accompanied by Mr Stephen Kawimbe, Deputy Clerk (Procedure) and selected staff from the National Assembly.
