By JOHN SAKALA
Speaker of the National Assembly Patrick Matibini says transformation of the Parliamentary Forum into a regional parliament will enhance democracy at the regional level.
Dr Matibini sad regional parliament would help in the enactment of standard models laws which can be domesticated into national laws by member states.
He was speaking in Pretoria, South Africa at the Speakers of National Assemblies from different SADC countries held in consultation with the SADC Chairperson, who is also South African President Mr Cyril Ramaphosa.
Dr Matibini said the progress so far made towards the formulation of a regional parliament was a culmination of Zambia’s longstanding efforts of ensuring regional economic and democratic integration.
“The transformation process has received support from the SADC chairman who agreed with the lobby mission during consultations that the matter should be expedited by the SADC Heads of States at the forthcoming summit to be held in Windhoek, Namibia as it has been outstanding for the past 21 years.
“Zambia will continue being in the forefront of ensuring that the Parliamentary Forum was transformed as the country was one of the pioneers of democracy in Africa and the SADC region. SADC Regional Parliamentary will serve as a vehicle for entrenched democracy in the region once it is established as it will set up minimum standards of model laws,” he daid.
And President of the SADC Parliamentary Forum and Speaker of the National Assembly of Angola Fernado de Piedade Dias dos Santos said the Regional Parliament will be a flag bearer of democratisation and sustainable development in the region.
Dr Dias dos Santos said the SADC Parliament will closely work in consultation with the SADC policy organ to develop model laws that will help it advance its vision.
Speaking in a brief on new transformation approach for the SADC Parliament when he led a lobby mission for a consultative meeting with South African President, Dr Dias dos Santos stated that the regional parliament was being constituted uniquely and customised to the current levels regional economic integration.
He said the establishment of the SADC Parliament will not affect movements of goods, services, and people or capital as such decisions will remain in the ambit of SADC policy organ.
Other speakers that were part of the Parliamentary Forum lobby mission for consultations were Professor Peter Katjavivi, Speaker of the National Assembly of Namibia and Ms Baleka Mbete, Speaker of the National Assembly of South Africa
This is according to a media stamen made available to The Independent Observer by First Secretary Press and Public Relations at the Zambian Embassy in South Africa Naomi Nyawali
