The Vice Chairperson of the Society of Clerks-At-The-Table (SoCATT) Africa and Clerk of the National Assembly of Malawi, Mrs. Fiona Kalemba led a delegation to conduct a Sub-Region Visit to SoCATT Zambia Branch from 20^th to 22^nd July, 2025. The visit was part of a combined Central Sub-Region Visit to Mozambique, Botswana and Zambia SoCATT Branches undertaken from 16^th to 22^nd July, 2025. Pleasantly, this visit also coincided with emerging leadership changes at parliamentary administration level in the relevant Parliaments of Mozambique, Botswana and Zambia.

Consequently, the combined visit was aimed at re-mobilising the Central Sub-Region Branches to participate in the 2025 SoCATT Annual General Meeting (AGM) to be held alongside the 54^th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Conference and AGM in Banjul, The Gambia from 10^th to 16^th August, 2025, and the Professional Development Seminar (PDS) planned for November, 2025. Further, it was anchored on updating the Branches on key activities of 2025, as well as brainstorming and developing a common understanding on strategies for strengthening sub-region engagements and collaborations.

During the visit, the delegation held a meeting with the Acting Clerk of the National of Zambia, Mrs. Loveness Maambo Makaya at which various aspects related to the 2022-2026 SoCATT Africa Strategic Plan, work and operations were discussed. In her remarks, Mrs. Kalemba recognised the Zambia Branch as the beacon in the Sub-Region in moving the SoCATT Africa agenda forward. She stressed that this was because of the Branch’s impeccable participation in the activities of the Society and consistence in meeting its membership subscription fees obligations. Most notably, she indicated that the Branch had held different portfolios on the Steering Committee and hosted key activities of the Society such as the Professional Development Seminar in 2019.  She also commended the Branch for providing technical, advisory and administrative support to the Society through the Technical Team.

Mrs Mayaka elucidated that the Zambia Branch considered SoCATT Africa as a pivotal platform for facilitating practical learning and sharing among member Parliaments on parliamentary practice and procedure, and other aspects related to administrations of Parliaments. She said that, for this reason, the Branch had been an active member of SoCATT Africa to ensure that it benefitted from good practices in parliamentary work for possible localisation and application to enhance administrative service delivery. She also assured the SoCATT delegation that the Branch will continue to participate in the activities of the Society at both regional and sub-region levels. In addition, she conscietised the Steering Committee on the need to popularise the Society’s Strategic Plan to secure the buy-in among its community for effective implementation and improved outcomes.

Mrs. Kalemba was accompanied by Mr. Momodu-Lamin Deen Rogers, Director- Legislative Service, Technical Team Member and In-Country Coordinator of Parliament of Sierra Leone. The delegation was supported by Mr. Julius Kampamba, Deputy Director-Monitoring and Evaluation and Team Lead of the Technical Team.