Mr. Roy Ngulube participated in our Accountability in Government program in June 2018, an initiative that examines how citizens' rights are protected in the US, and how institutions ensure transparency in government. Mr. Ngulube, as the Deputy Clerk, manages the entire administration of the National Assembly (NA) and assists the Clerk as a Controlling Officer. Both of these senior positions enable him to manage all departments in the NA and assist with lawmaking, oversight, and budgeting. Mr. Ngulube's goals to make parliament more transparent and accountable made him the perfect candidate for this program.
Mr. Ngulube states that "the Citizen Exchange visit was the best engagement I ever had in the USA because it gave me an opportunity to move away from meeting formalities to discuss with local people in an informal manner on a broad range of activities." Meeting the local nonprofits, businesses, and home hospitality hosts were powerful tools for accomplishing this effect. Further, during his home hospitality, Mr. Ngulube gleaned the importance of our national anthem for the American people. He remarked that "when given an opportunity to sing [the Zambia National Anthem] I could hardly remember the words." After returning to his home and office, he informed us that "I took it upon myself to ensure that we all know the National Anthem by heart."
While visiting Utah, Mr. Roy Ngulube had the opportunity to meet with members of the Salt Lake City Clerk’s office, Utah State Legislature, and Utah Transparency Advisory Board. These meetings accentuated his understanding of the role that local representatives play in maintaining government accountability for their constituents. He noted that exposure to these public institutions will “forever remain” with him as he returns home to Zambia.
Roy with Alliance for a Better Utah
Mr. Roy Ngulube continues to create a transparent and accountable government in the Republic of Zambia. We at Utah Global Diplomacy hope that his experience in the US will continue being a positive impact on Zambia's future!
