By MILLENNIUM REPORTER
CONSORTIUM for Tobacco Control chairperson, Webby Mulela says he is optimistic that the Tobacco Control Bill will be tabled before parliament due to the political will of the new dawn administration.
Mr. Mulela said lack of political will has been the greatest setback to the Tobacco Control Bill enactment progress.
“We are also trying to compare even from the consortium point of view to say really appreciating the governments that have been. Remember, we are talking about this thing that has dragged for over 15 years now since Zambia ratified the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and so there has been a very positive political will to be honest from the new dawn administration ever since they were ushered into office, we have really seen some tremendous positive response towards this enactment process of the Tobacco Control Bill.
“And so this is the reason why looking at the stages and also where we are coming from even ever since the New dawn Government was ushered into power, really there is that political will to see to it that this Tobacco bill is domesticated,” Mr Mulela said.
He stated that the political will exhibited by the new dawn administration was likely to result into the enactment of the Tobacco Control Bill for the benefit of Zambians.
Mr. Mulela said the bill has dragged for the past 15 years, a situation that resulted in loss of about 7000 lives annually.
