By: Ismael Kasooha KAMPALA

The Prime Minister of Uganda Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja has met a delegation from the National Assembly of Zambia at the Prime Minister’s Office Tuesday Morning.

The Zambian Delegation that is in Uganda to benchmark the Country’s Parliamentary Systems is led by the 1st Deputy Speaker of Zambia National Assembly Hon Malungo A. Chisangano.

While meeting the delegation Nabbanja said that Uganda and Zambia have strong historical ties dating back in the 1960s when both countries attained independence.

She said that Zambia has been a home for Ugandans during difficult times during the Amin Regime when many Ugandans lived in Zambia including the former president Dr. Apollo Milton Obote.

“In difficult times of Idd Amin dictatorship many Ugandans sought asylum in Zambia where they were warmly welcomed and treated with a lot of respect and were seen as nationals and we thank you for such hospitality,” said Nabbanja.

Nabbanja told the visiting delegation that the Leader of Government Business in Parliament, the Prime Minister, is responsible for coordinating all government business in liaison with the Speaker of Parliament.

 “The Leader of Government Business in Parliament is a link between the executive and the legislature to enhance accountability. “Government business in the house is led by the Prime Minister and our key contribution is fulfilling obligations set out in the rules of procedure by Parliament of Uganda for instance rule 28 requires us to table business and also respond to the issues raised,” said Nabbanja.

She briefed the delegation that issues that require response from the government must be written so that the government responds with evidence instead of talking casually.

“The written responses are facts because they show the stand of the government instead of a mere response which could not be captured directly by Parliament like it was previously,” said Nabbanja.

She said that Uganda has enjoyed the leadership of President Yoweri Museveni for the last 36 years and the country is developing at a faster rate because of stable and able leadership.

Nabbanja congratulated the people of Zambia for going through elections in August last year that led to the election of a new government.

The leader of the delegation, the 1st Deputy Speaker of Zambia National Assembly Hon Malungo A. Chisangano said that they are in the country to learn how parliamentary business is conducted here in Uganda.

“We are new in parliament back home in Zambia and we found it necessary to come to Uganda, which has vast experience on how business is conducted, to learn the operations of parliament. We have heard a lot regarding the Parliament of Uganda because we interfaced in various ways,” said Malungo.

She said that for the case of Zambia, the Vice President is the Leader of Government Business in Parliament unlike in Uganda where the Prime Minister is the Leader of Government Business.

Zambia does not have the position of Prime Minister in their hierarchy.

The other members of the delegation include 2nd Deputy Speaker, Members of the National Assembly of Zambia and the technical team led by the Clerk to Parliament.

They agreed on strengthening the strong historical ties between the two countries that date way back in the 1960s.

2nd Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy Leader of Government Business in Parliament, Gen. Moses Ali, Minister for General Duties in prime minister’s office Kasule Lumumba, Northern Uganda Affairs State Minister Grace Freedom Kwiyucwiny, State Minister for Teso Affairs Clement Kenneth Ongalo Obote, technical officers from OPM and Parliament attended the meeting among others.

Several countries from Africa have visited Uganda to benchmark on how the parliamentary system operates.

In January this year another delegation from Ghanaian Parliament was in Uganda to also study how the Ugandan parliament operates and also the Ethiopian delegation paid a study visit to the country earlier on.  End