Zambian Parliament clerk dies while on official duty in Uzbekistan

The Clerk of the National Assembly of Zambia, Roy Ngulube, has died after an illness while on official duty in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, the Parliament has confirmed.

Mr. Ngulube was part of a delegation led by Speaker of the National Assembly, Nelly Mutti, attending the 150th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly and related meetings when he passed away, Caliber.Az reports, citing Zambian media.

Speaker Mutti expressed her deep sorrow at the loss of her close colleague, describing the development as shocking and a great loss to the institution and the nation at large.

“The National Assembly is shocked and saddened by the death of Mr. Ngulube and acknowledges his distinguished service to the country,” she said.

According to a separate statement issued in Lusaka by Deputy Clerk – Administration, Loveness Mayaka, Mr. Ngulube had a long and distinguished career in parliamentary service, spanning over two decades.

He joined the National Assembly on April 15, 2002, and steadily rose through the ranks, serving in several key roles. His early positions included Assistant Committee Clerk and Executive Assistant to the Secretary General of the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum between 2006 and 2008.

From 2009 to 2015, he worked as Executive Assistant to the Speaker, later moving on to serve as Deputy Clerk (Procedure) from 2016 to 2017, and subsequently as Deputy Clerk (Administration) from 2017 to 2022.

Mr. Ngulube was appointed Clerk of the National Assembly in September 2023, a role he held until his untimely death.

By Khagan Isayev