Speaker Mutti urges use of constituency offices to drive social justice, laments Zambia’s yearly loss of 270,000 hectares of forest

Speaker of the National Assembly of Zambia, Nelly Mutti, has called on traditional leaders, civil society, and local authorities to fully utilise the 156 Constituency Offices to promote transparency, social justice, and community-led development.

Mutti noted that the increased allocation of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) had strengthened Parliament’s role in ensuring that development remained people-driven.

Speaking in Lundazi District on Friday during the commissioning of the Lundazi Constituency Office — the first to be built using CDF resources — Mutti said the facility was a tangible symbol of decentralised development and the National Assembly’s commitment to inclusive governance.

She explained that the CDF had empowered constituencies to address local priorities while meeting the aspirations of communities.

“Such a development will facilitate public participation in the legislative and oversight functions of Parliament by providing an avenue for the people of Lundazi Constituency to freely express their concerns, share aspirations and articulate the needs of their communities,” Mutti said.

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She added that the operationalisation of Constituency Offices aligned with the National Assembly’s strategic plan to enhance citizen participation in parliamentary business and urged residents to engage constructively with their Member of Parliament through the new facility.

Meanwhile, Mutti also led a tree-planting exercise at the site, expressing concern that Zambia was losing about 270,000 hectares of forest cover annually — making it one of the most deforested countries in Africa.

“Climate change remains a constant threat to the country’s socio-economic development,” she warned, urging Zambians to stop indiscriminate tree cutting and to take up tree planting in their communities.

The ceremony was attended by Senior Chief Mwase, Chief Mpamba, Chief Kapichila, Second Deputy Speaker Moses Moyo, Eastern Province Minister, Peter Simon Phiri, Lundazi MP, Brenda Nyirenda, and other government officials.

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