Zambian Parliament Launches the National Assembly of Zambia ICT Master Plan

The Parliament of Zambia ICT Master Plan was launched today, the 8th of Dec in Lusaka by the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Honorable Mkhondo Lungu.

In officially launching the Master Plan, the Deputy Speaker Honorable Mkhondo Lungu thanked ECA for providing technical and financial support for developing the ICT Master Plan, stating that “the optimal use of ICT cannot be realized without a well thought plan, hence the National Assembly’s decision to develop the ICT strategic plan to guide its ICT policy and programmes.”

Hon Lungu said the transformation of the Zambian Parliament under Parliamentary reforms will depend on the effective use of ICT in the work of Parliament through “implementation of this forward looking strategic plan to achieve efficiency in the internal business processes aimed at serving the Members of Parliament and the performance of the organization as a whole” adding that “ultimately this will have an impact on the effectiveness with which Parliament carries out its legislative process and oversight functions.

In the key note address at the launch, SRO-SA Officer in Charge Mr Sizo Mhlanga commended the progress the Zambian Parliament had made in the use of ICT in Parliamentary business and that the Master plan will harness the potentials of ICTs in order to create a Parliament that was in tune with the demands of an information age.

Mr Mhlanga said that “ECA had over the years made concerted, collaborative efforts at national, regional and global levels to support African governments in the adoption and use of ICT to facilitate the attainment of developmental goals and responding to the challenges of the information age”.

He noted that ICTs were still beyond the reach of many citizens especially those in rural and remote areas due to high costs of access, poor infrastructure and lack of enabling polices. ”It is for this reason that active Parliamentary engagement in the information society becomes critical. Parliaments have been identified as a vital partner to Africa’s entry into information and knowledge global economy.”

He further explained that to date, a substantial number of African MPs from various countries had participated in awareness, sensitization and training programmes on the benefits ICTs and “on how MPs can become advocates for promoting the adoption of ICTs within their constituencies and nationally”.

ECA pledged continued support to the Zambian Parliament and other African stakeholders to promote the establishment of information and knowledge based societies as a foundation for wealth creation and to assist them in facilitating accelerated progress in achieving some of the MDGs, such as the elimination of extreme poverty, combating serious disease and achieving universal primary education and gender equality.

The launch was attended by attended by the Clerk of the National Assembly, Chairpersons of various committees, National Assembly staff, several Members of Parliament and the media.

The ICT Master Plan for the National Assembly of the Republic of Zambia was developed as a result of collaborative efforts between ICT, Science and Technology Division (ISTD) and SRO- SA.