The National Assembly of Zambia and Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) have signed a contract for the production of a series of thirteen (13) radio dramas on the work of Parliament in Silozi and Chinyanja. This was at a signing ceremony that was held at Parliament Buildings on Tuesday, 23rd May 2017.

Speaking during the signing ceremony, Deputy Clerk (Administration) of the National Assembly, Mrs. Cecilia N Mbewe said the radio dramas in Silozi and Chinyanja would be produced on a pilot basis and that they are expected to begin airing on ZNBC’s Radio-One by the third quarter of 2017. Mrs Mbewe further said that the dramas would later be produced and aired in other major local languages.

She added that, in the past, most of the media content about the Zambian Parliament had been in English but it has been realized that, in order to take parliament closer to the people, there is need to have media content in both English and local languages and in doing so, the National Assembly would ensure that, nobody is left behind in matters of Parliamentary democracy.

The Deputy Clerk also thanked the National Assembly’s cooperating partner Irish Aid for their financial support to various Parliamentary projects and activities and in particular for their financial support towards the production and airing of Parliament radio dramas in local languages.

Speaking at the same event, ZNBC Acting Director General, Mr. Malolela Lusambo said the National Assembly’s decision of reaching people that are not conversant with the English language, with information on the core functions of Parliament was a welcome move. He also said that the production and airing of radio drama programmes in local languages on ZNBC Radio-One was certainly not misplaced.

Mr Lusambo further said that with Radio One’s daily listenership of more than three million people, the drama programmes will go a long way in Parliament’s engagement with the people. He added that the drama programmes were in line with one of the core functions of ZNBC, that of contributing to the democratic process in the country.

The local language radio drama series are meant to inform the interests of citizens especially those that are not conversant with the English language in knowing the work and operations of Parliament. The dramas have also been introduced to generate demand for participation in Parliament’s democratic processes.