Speaker of the National Assembly Amusaa Mwanamwambwa says the objective of the establishment of the Constituency offices in all the 150 constituencies in the country is to provide meeting places for Members of Parliament and their constituents.
Mr. Mwanamwambwa said the move promotes the interaction between MPs and their constituents which is critical for true representation.
He was speaking when he laid a foundation stone on the construction of the first ever Rufunsa constituency office in Chongwe today.
Mr. Mwanamwambwa said constituency offices are currently operating from rented buildings adding that some of the structures have not been suitable for use as office accommodation for MPs.
He added that the arrangement of renting office accommodation proved costly and threatened the sustainability of operating the constituency offices project.
Mr. Mwanamwambwa said he is launching the construction of the offices one at a time adding that he will soon be launching the other three constituency offices at Mwembeshi in Lusaka, Masaiti on the Copperbelt and Chasefu in Eastern Provinces respectively.
He appealed to cooperating partners who are supporting them in building the capacities of MPs and staff to consider lending their support to the construction project in order to ensure its timely completion.
Speaking at the same occasion, Rufunsa MP Kenneth Chipungu said people of Rufunsa should reflect and cherish the initiative that has been made by government.
Mr. Chipungu who is also Youth Sport, and Child Development Minister, appealed to his constituents to protect the property as it is the first of the parliamentary Constituency offices constructed in the area.
Speaking earlier, chairperson of the committee on Parliamentary Reforms, Katele Kalumba said the Rufunsa office will be constructed simultaneously with the one at Chasefu, Masaiti and Mwembeshi constituencies.
ZANIS
The offices will only be relevant when the mindset of MPs changes from amassing wealth and getting rich to serving in there constituences.
This gud development as MPs willn ot have execuses of not having suitable office accommodation in their constituences to coordinate developmental projects. At the same time it will now become easy for cadres to share with them graduity and other benefits as Old Daniel put it Politics of Benefits. But is it necessary for the Speaker of the House to lay foundation stones in Rufunsa, Chasefu, Mwambeshi and Mpongwe yet there are MPs. Should I say its another way making bucks thru allowances. Mobile offices in form caravns for rural districts would hhave bin better coz some constituences are vast and how do pipo from wards to office location since rural MPs have 4x4s