By MELBOURNE MUSHITU – SPEAKER of the National Assembly, Patrick Matibini has urged Zambians to utilise constituency offices in their respective areas so that challenges faced can be quickly channelled to Parliament. Dr Matibini said the constituency offices enhance relations through improved communication between residents and their Parliamentarians. He was speaking yesterday when he launched the newly-built Chawama Constituency office in Chawama Township in Lusaka. Dr Matibini said a constituency office was a formal and politically neutral place where a member of Parliament (MP) and constituents could meet and discuss developmental issues. “A constituency office is a goal of parliamentary improvement aimed at taking Parliament closer to the people of Zambia. It gives people a platform through which they can engage with their MP,” he said. Patriotic Front Chawama MP Lawrence Sichalwe said the launch of the Chawama Constituency office showed that Government treasured good governance and democracy. Mr Sichalwe said democracy and good governance were requirements needed for the Government to achieve sustainable development. He said President Edgar Lungu had offered to build a constituency office on behalf of the National Assembly because he appreciated the people of Chawama. Mr Sichalwe, who is Deputy Minister in the Office of the Vice-President, said Click Zambia Limited had partnered with the Government to build the office as part of the company’s corporate social responsibility.