Southern Province Minister Honourable Edify Hamukale, MP has called on Parliamentary staff to come up with a continuous reform agenda aimed at repositioning the institution to pro-actively respond to the changing needs of society.

Honourable Hamukale said this at the opening of the 20th  Zimbabwe-Zambia-Botswana (Zim/Zam/Bots) senior Parliamentary Staff Seminar, which was held at Avani Victoria falls in Livingstone from 22nd to 23rd August 2019, under the theme ''Evolution: Adapting to Emerging Trends'',

He stated that, Parliamentary Staff who are the backbone of any Parliament and custodians of Parliamentary Practice and Procedure are suppose to ensure the smooth running of parliamentary business by rendering timely assistance and support to Members of Parliament in the discharge of their parliamentary functions.

Honourable Hamukale noted that, the senior staff seminar had been called to strategically position, enhance and strengthen the direction of the respective Parliaments.  He therefore urged the participants to apply themselves diligently and contribute positively in coming up with workable recommendations that would reposition their respective Parliaments for the coming years.

He challenged the participants to find ways of leveraging on the opportunities, while mitigating threats to Parliaments' proper functioning.

During the same function, Clerk of the National Assembly of Zambia Mrs Cecilia N Mbewe mentioned that Parliamentary Staff should continuously be capacitated through   platforms such as the Zim/Zam/Bots Seminar where they can share best practices and exchange views on emerging issues affecting their work.

She said that the theme for this year's seminar speaks to how Parliaments can effectively perform their legislative, oversight, budget approval and representative functions in light of evolving world events.

Mrs Mbewe added that, the evolving world brings with it some outstanding achievements especially in the field of science such as technology advancements, but at the same time challenges, which impel parliamentary staff to examine the way they do things in terms of practice and procedure within the parliamentary context.

The Zim/Zam/Bots seminar is held annually on rotational basis among participating Parliaments. The venue is based on a number of factors including centrality and mutual convenience.

This year's seminar was attended by over 200 participants from Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe, Namibia, Uganda and the SADC -Parliamentary Forum who participated as Observers. The Deputy Mayor of Livingstone Mr John Lilemo also attended the opening ceremony to welcome the seminar participants to the city of Livingstone.