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President Sata' speech to parliament

President Sata' speech to parliament
By The Post
Sat 22 Sep. 2012, 10:50 CAT

MR. SPEAKER,IT IS WITH PLEASURE THAT I JOIN YOU TODAY AND THE REST OF THE HONOURABLE MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT TO OPEN THE SECOND SESSION OF THE ELEVENTH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY. ALMOST ONE YEAR HAS ELAPSED SINCE I ADDRESSED THIS AUGUST HOUSE ON THE OCCASION OF THE OPENING OF THE FIRST SESSION OF THE ELEVENTH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY.

OBITUARY

MR. SPEAKER,BEFORE I GO ANY FURTHER, I NOTE WITH SADNESS THAT DURING THE FIRST SESSION OF THE ELEVENTH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, THE HOUSE LOST THE HONOURABLE MEMBER FOR MUCHINGA PARLIAMENTARY CONSTITUENCY, THE LATE MR GEORGE KUNDA, SC, MP, FORMER VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA, WHO PASSED AWAY ON 16TH APRIL, 2012. MAY HIS SOUL REST IN PEACE. MAY I NOW ASK THE HOUSE TO STAND AND OBSERVE A MINUTE OF SILENCE IN HONOUR OF OUR DEAR DEPARTED COLLEAGUE.

BY-ELECTIONS

MR. SPEAKER,FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF HONOURABLE KUNDA, SC, MP, THE RESIGNATIONS OF SOME MEMBERS FROM THE PARTIES WHICH SPONSORED THEM TO THE HOUSE, AS WELL AS THE NULLIFICATION OF SOME PARLIAMENTARY SEATS, THE LAST SESSION SAW SEVEN BY-ELECTIONS TAKE PLACE IN CHONGWE, NAKONDE, MAGOYE, MSANZALA, LIVINGSTONE, CHAMA NORTH AND MUCHINGA CONSTITUENCIES. IN THIS REGARD, I WISH TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO CONGRATULATE THE SEVEN HONOURABLE MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT WHO EMERGED WINNERS IN THESE BY-ELECTIONS.LET ME, HOWEVER, REGISTER MY DISAPPOINTMENT WITH THE VIOLENCE THAT CHARACTERISED SOME OF THE BY-ELECTIONS. I WISH TO EMPHASISE THE NEED TO EXERCISE SELF RESTRAINT AND TOLERANCE BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER ELECTIONS.

PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS

MR. SPEAKER, MY GOVERNMENT ACKNOWLEDGES THAT DEMOCRACY, GOOD GOVERNANCE AND THE RULE OF LAW, AS WELL AS AN ENABLING ENVIRONMENT, ARE ESSENTIAL FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT. I AM DELIGHTED THAT THE FIRST SESSION OF THE ELEVENTH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY WAS VERY PRODUCTIVE IN MANY RESPECTS. DURING THAT SESSION, THIS AUGUST HOUSE DEALT WITH MATTERS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE TO OUR PEOPLE. HONOURABLE MEMBERS DEBATED THESE MATTERS CANDIDLY. THIS IS A CLEAR TESTIMONY OF OUR GROWING AND MATURING DEMOCRACY. IN THIS REGARD, LET ME COMMEND YOU, MR. SPEAKER, FOR THE IMPARTIAL AND ABLE MANNER IN WHICH YOU GUIDED AND PRESIDED OVER THE BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE DURING THE LAST SESSION.

IN THE SAME VEIN, LET ME ALSO CONGRATULATE THE HONOURABLE DEPUTY SPEAKER, THE DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF COMMITTEES OF THE WHOLE HOUSE AND THE CHAIRPERSONS OF ALL THE PARLIAMENTARY SESSIONAL AND SELECT COMMITTEES FOR THE EFFECTIVE MANNER IN WHICH THEY DISCHARGED THEIR FUNCTIONS. THEIR OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP ENABLED THE HOUSE TO FULFIL ITS FUNCTIONS OF LEGISLATING AND EXERCISING OVERSIGHT OVER THE EXECUTIVE.

MR. SPEAKER, I WILL BE FAILING IN MY DUTY IF I DID NOT CONGRATULATE HIS HONOUR THE VICE-PRESIDENT AND LEADER OF GOVERNMENT BUSINESS IN THE HOUSE FOR THE EXCELLENT MANNER IN WHICH HE LED GOVERNMENT BUSINESS. IN SO DOING, ALLOW ME TO ALSO RECOGNISE THE ROLE OF THE WHIPS OF OUR VARIOUS POLITICAL PARTIES REPRESENTED IN THE HOUSE. THIS HOUSE CONTINUES TO FUNCTION WELL BECAUSE OF THE EXCELLENT SERVICES IT RECEIVES FROM THE OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY. I, THEREFORE, COMMEND THE CLERK OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY AND HER STAFF FOR THEIR CONTINUED GOOD WORK AND DEDICATION TO DUTY. LET ME ALSO THANK THE ZAMBIAN PEOPLE FOR EXERCISING THEIR PATIENCE AND FOR CONTINUING TO SUPPORT MY GOVERNMENT AS IT REMAINS STEADFAST IN ADDRESSING THEIR MANY AND VARIED NEEDS.

MR. SPEAKER,I AM HAPPY TO NOTE THAT THE HOUSE WAS ABLE TO CONSIDER AND PASS A TOTAL OF 12 BILLS. IN ADDITION, THE HOUSE CONTINUED TO EXERCISE ITS ROLE AND OBLIGATION TO HOLD MY GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABLE TO THE ZAMBIAN PEOPLE BY DEBATING 609 PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS, SEVEN PRIVATE MEMBERS' MOTIONS AND 23MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS. I FURTHER NOTE THAT 21MOTIONS TO ADOPT THE REPORTS OF THE PARLIAMENTARY SESSIONAL COMMITTEES AND FIVE MOTIONS TO ADOPT THE SELECT COMMITTEE REPORTS FOR THE RATIFICATION OF PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEES TO CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICES WERE CONSIDERED AND ADOPTED BY THE HOUSE.

FURTHER, A TOTAL OF 61 PAPERS AND ANNUAL REPORTS WERE LAID ON THE TABLE OF THE HOUSE BY GOVERNMENT MINISTRIES AND QUASI-GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS. THESE PAPERS AND ANNUAL REPORTS ARE EVIDENCE OF MY ADMINISTRATION'S DESIRE TO FOSTER GOOD GOVERNANCE AND REMAIN TRANSPARENT AND ACCOUNTABLE TO THE ZAMBIAN PEOPLE. DESPITE THE DIVERSE POLITICAL REPRESENTATION IN THE HOUSE, MEMBERS WERE ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER FOR THE PURPOSE OF FOSTERING DEVELOPMENT AND IMPROVING THE WELFARE OF OUR PEOPLE.

Labels: MICHAEL SATA, PARLIAMENT

posted by MrK @ 8:54 PM