Online Reporter
Zvamaida Murwira
The Speaker of Parliament Advocate Jacob Mudenda has been elected as chairperson of the Africa Geopolitical Group at the ongoing 150th Inter-Parliamentary Union, comprising legislators from more than 180 countries underway in Uzbekistan.
His role on the newly constituted committee will be to draft proposals for emergency items for possible inclusion on the agenda of the 150th IPU Assembly and related meetings.
Adv Mudenda, a lawyer by profession, is expected to use his vast experience as chair of the committee to help address rising global conflicts, particularly in the Middle East and Africa alongside the global impacts of climate change.
The drafting committee, which includes representatives from Algeria, Djibouti, Morocco, Seychelles, Burkina Faso, Zambia, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Zimbabwe, began its work on Saturday.
In another development, Sunningdale Member of Parliament, Ms Maureen Kademaunga, who is a part of the Zimbabwean delegation in Uzbekistan was nominated to serve on the Bureau of the IPU Committee on Science and Technology.
Her tenure will begin in October this year during the 151st IPU Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland.
The 150th IPU Assembly continues to serve as a significant platform for Zimbabwe’s active participation in global parliamentary discussions, with Adv Mudenda’s appointment and the nomination of Ms Kademaunga underscoring Zimbabwe’s growing influence within the IPU.
Meanwhile, Senate President Cde Mabel Chinomona, who is attending the IPU session, joined fellow women legislators in celebrating the Forum of Women Parliamentarians as a vital platform for advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment.
The Women’s Forum celebrated 40 years of existence under the auspices of the IPU under the theme Let’s Celebrate – 40 Years Of Action, 40 Years Of Impact.
In her speech, Cde Chinomona lauded the significant contribution of the IPU’s Forum of Women Parliamentarians to Zimbabwe, particularly in legislative initiatives that protect women and girls, such as the Domestic Violence Act and the Education Amendment Act, which ensures access to education for pregnant girls.
