Online Reporter
Vusumuzi Dube and Rutendo Nyeve
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa’s leadership of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) has garnered widespread praise as exemplary and transformative. His tenure is credited with successfully guiding the bloc through intricate political, economic, and security challenges while vigorously pushing for regional integration and industrialisation.
These accolades were delivered yesterday during the official opening of the 57th Plenary Assembly Session of the SADC Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF), currently underway in Victoria Falls.
Speaker of Parliament, Advocate Jacob Mudenda, in his address, commended President Mnangagwa’s leadership, particularly emphasising his pivotal role in advocating for the transformation of the SADC PF into a fully-fledged Regional Parliament.
“This Plenary Assembly acknowledges your exceptional stewardship, which has guided the SADC region through formidable economic, political, and security challenges, while simultaneously upholding regional integration as the cornerstone of SADC’s industrialisation agenda.
“Most significantly, Your Excellency’s unwavering commitment to championing the transformation of the SADC Parliamentary Forum into a fully constituted Regional Parliament deserves special recognition and is celebrated across the region, particularly during Your Excellency’s current chairmanship,” he said.
Advocate Mudenda expressed optimism that the anticipated Protocol, which will formalise the transformation of the SADC Parliamentary Forum into the SADC Regional Parliament, will be adopted at the 45th SADC Summit scheduled for August in Madagascar.
He noted that the Parliament of Zimbabwe, of which President Mnangagwa is a constitutional member, is honoured and privileged to host the 57th Plenary Assembly of the SADC Parliamentary Forum — marking the sixth time it has done so. Previous successful hostings took place in 2001, 2009, 2014, and 2016.
“It is our hope that this current hosting will surpass all expectations,” said Advocate Mudenda.
Speaking at the same forum, President of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), Chief Fortune Charumbira, also paid tribute to President Mnangagwa for his crucial support during his campaign for the presidency of the continental legislature.
“As I stand here, allow me to thank my President. Without his support, I would not have attained this position. Before I contested, I sought his blessing, and he gave me the go-ahead. Even when challenges arose, I returned to him, and he assured me he would resolve them.
“The President also assigned me the Speaker of the National Assembly, Advocate Jacob Mudenda, to lead my campaign team. Advocate Mudenda did an outstanding job — so much so that fellow speakers believed he himself was the candidate,” he said.
Chief Charumbira acknowledged the difficulty of securing the PAP presidency for the SADC region.
“We had attempted it before but faced significant obstacles. The Speaker of Parliament for South Africa, Honourable Thoko Didiza, can attest to the challenges. I can confidently say I am President of PAP because I have stood on the shoulders of giants,” he said.
SADC PF Secretary-General, Mrs Boemo Sekgoma, also commended President Mnangagwa for his various key contributions to regional development.
“Zimbabwe’s diversity and unique resilience have enabled it to transition from traditional economic pillars to embrace innovation and smart governance. For instance, in the fight against HIV/Aids, Zimbabwe pioneered innovative domestic financing through the National AIDS Trust Fund — popularly known as the AIDS Levy — a model that has inspired many across the region.
“This home-grown solution has enabled Zimbabwe to scale up treatment, prevention, and support services. It exemplifies what we at the SADC PF advocate for — sustainable, locally led financing for health and social development. In the words of President Mnangagwa, nyika inovakwa nevene vayo — a country is built by its own citizens,” she said.
Ms Sekgoma also praised Zimbabwe’s economic progress under President Mnangagwa’s administration.
“I am informed that this year, the country is expecting GDP growth of six percent — well above the regional average.
This is commendable and aligns with the country’s vision of becoming a prosperous, upper-middle-income economy by 2030,” she said.
As long as the facilities at Mpilo,UBH ,Parirenyatwa and Harare Central remain poorer compared to when Ian Smith was prime minister this “transformative leadership” will remain a Fable in my mind.As long as our poor Zimbos have to cross the border for x-rays ED will remain an uncaring leader in my mind.Yes as long as he dishes SUVs to top officials at the expense of hospitals I will find no solace in what foregners say or do