Online ReporterWallace Ruzvidzo
Herald Reporter
AFRICAN Parliaments must be empowered to engage with emerging technologies so they can contribute positively to democratic processes and the well-being of society, the Speaker of Parliament, Advocate Jacob Mudenda has said.
Advocate Mudenda is in Geneva, Switzerland, where he addressed the World Conference of Speakers of Parliaments.
In a statement yesterday, the Parliament of Zimbabwe said the Speaker had advocated a comprehensive approach that includes collaboration between parliaments, governments and the private sector towards the empowerment of African Parliaments with new technologies.
“Subsequently, Speaker Mudenda announced plans in the Zimbabwe Parliament to establish a ‘Committee of the Future,’ to partner universities that are focused on artificial intelligence research and its practical applications.
“Despite the challenges, Speaker Mudenda expressed optimism about advances in AI and emphasised the need for parliaments to adapt to this inexorable technological revolution,” reads the statement.
In pursuit of parliamentary diplomacy, Adv Mudenda held separate bilateral meetings with speakers from Cuba and Zambia, reaffirming their legislative bonds.
With his Cuban counterpart, Esterban Lazo, the Speaker discussed wide-ranging issues anchored on the existing excellent relations between the two countries and, by extension, the two legislatures.
Testimony to this are the high-level exchange visits, with the most recent being the visit to Zimbabwe by Cde Lazo, undertaken from March 2 to 4, 2025.
Cde Lazo passionately recollected his interface with President Mnangagwa during his highly successful visit to Zimbabwe, which strongly affirmed the strong bilateral relations between the two countries dating back to Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle, when Cuba rendered invaluable support to the cause.
“Furthermore, Cuba continued to support Zimbabwe post-independence, with Havana training Maths and Science teachers, providing health personnel and the donation of artefacts to the African Liberation Museum, among other overtures,” said the Parliament of Zimbabwe.
During Adv Mudenda’s interface with Zambian Speaker Nelly Butete Kashumba Mutti, discussions centred on the upcoming visit to Antananarivo, Madagascar, by speakers from Angola, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe to attend the landmark signing ceremony of the agreement amending the SADC Treaty by Mauritius and Madagascar on August 17.
“Mauritius and Madagascar are the remaining two countries to sign the agreement. The signing ceremony is poignant as the SADC region is now well and truly on the road to realising the big dream of transforming into a SADC Parliament.
