Online Reporter
Sunday Mail Reporter
SPEAKER of Parliament Advocate Jacob Mudenda has been elected President of the Bureau of the Conference at the ongoing Pan-African Parliament (PAP) Annual Conference of Speakers of National and Regional Parliaments in a development that underscores Zimbabwe’s growing role in continental parliamentary diplomacy.
Adv Mudenda, who immediately assumed the chair and presided over proceedings throughout the two-day conference, was elected by fellow Speakers from across Africa in what organisers described as a strong vote of confidence in his leadership capabilities and clarity of thought.
The conference, being held in Midrand, South Africa, is running under the theme: “The Role of Parliamentary Diplomacy in Strengthening Relations with National and Regional Parliaments and Contributing to the Achievements of the Objectives of Agenda 2063.”
It brought together Speakers of Parliament from across the continent, alongside representatives of regional and inter-parliamentary organisations.
Zimbabwe’s delegation includes Senate President Mabel Chinomona, immediate past PAP President Senator Chief Fortune Charumbira, Government Chief Whip and Chairperson of the PAP Southern African Regional Caucus Pupurai Togarepi, and Zimbabwe’s PAP representative Happymore Chidziva.
Opening the conference, PAP President Dr Fateh Boutbig called on African Parliaments to move “from vision to action” in implementing Agenda 2063, urging legislators to “Legislate it, Finance it and Defend it” while completing “the unfinished business of African Unity”.
He stressed the importance of parliamentary diplomacy in shaping Africa’s voice on global issues and advancing peace, integration and sustainable development.
South African Parliament Speaker Thoko Didiza urged African legislatures to strengthen dialogue and cooperation in tackling shared continental challenges, including migration, saying collective solutions were essential to preserving Africa’s cohesion.
During plenary discussions, Adv Mudenda shared Zimbabwe’s experiences in implementing Agenda 2063, highlighting progress in agriculture through the Pfumvudza/Intwasa conservation agriculture programme, expansion of dam construction, the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM), governance reforms and rural industrialisation anchored on Village Business Units.
He cited Zimbabwe’s role in promoting diplomacy to address the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the establishment of the Museum of African Liberation and initiatives supporting women and youth through dedicated empowerment banks.
The conference, which concludes today, is expected to adopt the Johannesburg Declaration, setting out a common parliamentary position on strengthening legislative cooperation and advancing the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
