Speaker of Parliament of Zimbabwe, Advocate Jacob Francis Nzwidamilimo Mudenda received the Grand Defender of Democracy award and cites as “For the unflinching dedicated service, unwavering commitment to duty and iconic visionary leadership as an inspiring Member of the Executive Committee of the SADC Parliamentary Forum for the period November 2022 to December 2024” during…
On 12th December 2024, the Zimbabwe delegation presented its Country Progress Report on the Resolutions from the 55th SADC Parliamentary Forum Plenary Assembly Session held in Luanda, Angola from 2nd to 7th July 2024. The report reaffirmed Zimbabwe’s commitment to the promotion of renewable energy, enhancement of policies towards women advancement, regional integration, climate resilience,…
Zimbabwe brought home the prestigious first prize in the Moot Competition by Orate Africa held in Gaborone, Botswana, affirming the country’s position as continental pacesetters in education. Zimbabwe was represented by Heritage School and St. Geoge’s College. The students were coached by Teboho Nare and Bernadette Mazambani Chigwida. The students were accompanied by Patience Chitumba…
The Zimbabwe Women Lawyers Association (ZWLA) has urged the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus to make sure international commitments in the Beijing Platform for Action are made into reality. Abigail Matsvayi, the ZWLA Executive Director, was training the members of the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus when she revealed that Beijing is one of the international instruments that…
Zimbabwe has made commendable progress toward advancing gender equality in alignment with the Beijing +30 commitments, especially through the collaboration of the government, the United Nations, and other stakeholders. In her keynote address, the Honourable Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises, Hon. Senator Monica Mutsvangwa at the gender equality and women…
Speaker of Parliament of Zimbabwe, Advocate J.F.N Mudenda, arrived in Livingstone, Zambia, on 7th December 2024, to participate in the 56th Plenary Assembly Session of the Southern Africa Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC-PF), taking place from 8th to 15th December 2024. Themed “Leveraging Technology and Innovation for Smart, Inclusive and Responsive Parliaments in the…
In the leadership wrangle within the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA), a provisional order was issued by the High Court of Zimbabwe on Saturday, November 30, 2024, in a case involving Elias Moffart Marashwa as the applicant, and Cephas Ncube, Samuel Parirenyatwa, Edward Dube, and two government ministers as respondents. According to the…
Writes Muchimba Faro The Deputy Speaker of Zimbabwe’s National Assembly, Honourable Tsitsi Gezi, officially relaunched the Zimbabwe National Tuberculosis Caucus as the guest speaker on Friday at Mandel Training Centre in Harare, renewing the parliamentarians’ willingness to end TB by 2030. Reaffirming Parliament’s commitment by signing the Barcelona Declaration, the Deputy Speaker called for…
The Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF) Executive Committee (EXCO) has hailed the Speaker of the Parliament of Zimbabwe, Hon. Advocate Jacob Francis Nzwidamilimo Mudenda, and the Speaker of the National Assembly of Zambia, Rt. Hon. Nelly Mutti, for championing the interests of the SADC Region on the global stage and advancing Parliamentary…
Parliamentary involvement is critical in the climate change dialogue and to demonstrate this, the Speaker of Parliament of Zimbabwe, Hon Advocate Jacob F.N. Mudenda is leading the legislative delegation from the Southern African country in Baku, Azerbaijan, for the parliamentary meeting on the occasion of COP29. The Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Advocate J.F.N Mudenda,…
Writes Engineer Jacob Kudzayi Mutisi The recent bribery scandal involving two police officers in Mabvuku, Harare, has once again highlighted the urgent need for reform within Zimbabwe’s law enforcement agencies. This incident is emblematic of a broader pattern of misconduct that has plagued the police and military, raising serious concerns about accountability and public…
Writes Kumbirai Mafunda The High Court has ended the 82-day detention of Jacob Ngarivhume, the leader of the opposition Transform Zimbabwe political party, by setting him free from prison on bail. High Court Judge Justice Emilia Muchawa on Wednesday 23 October 2024 ordered that Ngarivhume should be released from prison on bail after he petitioned the…
Writes Charles Mangwiro Maputo (Mozambique) – The National Governing Council of MISA-Mozambique has strongly condemned the attack against journalists which occurred last Monday, perpetrated by the Mozambican Police Force (PRM), during the strike called by the opposition party PODEMOS, in protest against the murder of its members Elvino Dias and Paulo Guambe. Riot police in…
Writes Kumbirai Mafunda The High Court has frowned upon the unlawful and pervasive practice of local authorities in demolishing residential properties across the country and criticised the impugned legislation, which they had abused for several years, to arbitrarily demolish houses and evict people, as having outlived its usefulness. In a written judgment handed…
Since gender-based violence poses a significant challenge, not just for Zimbabwe, but globally, the African Union (AU) is in the process of drafting a landmark Convention on the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls (AUCEVAWG). In her welcome remarks, the Permanent Secretary for Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprise Development, Dr. Mavis…
Writes Kumbirai Mafunda A socio-economic justice campaigner has hauled the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) and the National Social Security Authority (NSSA) to court, seeking an order compelling the country’s anti-corruption agency, to probe an opaque land acquisition transaction, done by the state-run pension fund more than twenty years ago. Munashe Masiyiwa, a socio-economic justice…
The curtain came down on the 149th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and related Meetings held in Geneva, Switzerland, from 12th to 17th October 2024. Running under the overarching theme: ‘HARNESSING SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND INNOVATION (STI) FOR A MORE PEACEFUL AND SUSTAINABLE FUTURE,” the 149th Assembly considered and deliberated on parliamentary action to maximize…
The 2023 Elections Gender Observatory Report reinforces the fact that women continue to face significant barriers in their pursuit of political office. These were part of the remarks by Tafadzwa Muvingi, the Head of Governance and Peace-building on behalf of the UNDP Resident Representative for Zimbabwe, Dr. Ayodele Odusola during the launch of the…
In the spirit of engagement and re-engagement and in line with the Second Republic’s and the Presidential mantra that “Zimbabwe is a friend to all and enemy to none”, Hon. Advocate Jacob Francis Nzwidamilimo Mudenda, Speaker of Parliament interfaced with the Iranian Parliamentary delegation led by His Excellency, Dr. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Speaker of the…
Several developmental issues were under the spotlight at the 149th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Geneva, Switzerland where various dignitaries including Advocate Jacob F.N. Mudenda, the Speaker of the Parliament of Zimbabwe, shared perspectives on driving the global legislative agenda. On the morning of 12 October 2024, Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Advocate J.F.N. Mudenda, and…
The Pan-African Parliament (PAP), the legislative arm of the African Union, ha announced that the Fourth Ordinary Session of its Sixth Parliament and related activities will take place from 28 October to 15 November 2024. This final Session of the year will be held under the African Union Theme for 2024: “Educate an African Fit for…
Writes Elvis Dumba Chinhoyi – The newly proclaimed land tenure policy will help to correct anomalies in the farming land distribution, a ZANU (PF) Politburo and Cabinet Minister has said. The government recently announced an indefinite moratorium on the issuance of any new 99-year leases, offer letters, and permits for agricultural land. Under the new…
Writes Elvis Dumba Chinhoyi – The Zimbabwe Energy Regulating Authority (ZERA) has come up with plans to regulate the green energy sector through proposed Energy (Solar Products and Installation) Regulations that will ensure quality and safe solar energy production in the country in line with its rural electrification drive. The energy regulator is currently conducting…
Speaker of Parliament of Zimbabwe, Hon Advocate Jacob F.N Mudenda, and President of the Senate, Hon. Mabel M. Chinomona, are leading a Zimbabwean Parliamentary delegation to the 149th Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland where issues of science and technology are under the spotlight. The Assembly and Related Meetings are scheduled for 12th to…
The Speaker of the Parliament of Zimbabwe, Hon. Advocate Jacob F.N. Mudenda, delivered remarks at a lecture on 8 October 2024, welcoming Dr. Shinichi Kitaoka, Special Advisor to the President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Mudenda’s speech was nothing short of a tribute to JICA’s monumental impact on Zimbabwe’s development. He passionately highlighted…
Writes Sowell Chikwari The rampant practice of early child marriages in rural and communal areas has been cited as a major driver of Gender-based violence, a vice that has consumed many communities, leaving behind a trail of broken families. Speaking at a recent workshop held in Mvurwi, traditional leaders bemoaned the proliferation of GBV and…
The launch of the Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) initiative by the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF) demonstrates a commitment to promoting health equality and equity in pursuit of fostering economic growth and upholding human rights. In his keynote address, Hon. Advocate Jacob Francis Nzwidamilimo Mudenda, the Speaker of…
The 12th Annual Conference of Speakers of African National and Regional Parliaments, which brings together heads of legislative organs from across the continent, kicked off at the precincts of the Pan-African Parliament in Midrand, South Africa, amidst calls for Africa to integrate digital literacy in its education curricula and implement effective policies that enhance the…
Members of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) have demanded greater involvement of the Continental Legislative body in the processes leading to the election of the next Chairperson of the Africa Union Commission (AUC). Leading the charge, Senator Danson Mungatana, leader of the Kenyan delegation to the Pan-African Parliament, stressed the need for the contestants vying…
The 6th Bureau of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), led by President Hon. Chief Fortune Charumbira, held the traditional pre-sitting meeting with the African ambassadors accredited to the Republic of South Africa on Thursday. The Bureau briefed African diplomats on the status of preparations for the Sitting of the Permanent Committees and other Organs of the…
In her keynote address during the official opening of the Indonesia-Africa Parliamentary Forum in Bali, Indonesia on 1 September 2024, Her Excellency, Dr. Puan Maharani, Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia, said there is a need for strategic cooperation between Indonesia and Africa in the arena of renewable energy, food…
The Speaker of the Parliament of Zimbabwe, Honorable Advocate Jacob F.N Mudenda arrived in Bali, Indonesia on 30th August 2024, where is attending the Indonesia-Africa Parliamentary Summit running from 31st August – 2nd September at the Grand Hyatt Hotel meant to foster social justice and sustainable economic development. Speaker Mudenda is accompanied by the…
OWN CORRESPONDENT The United Methodist Church (UMC)’s Bishop Eben Nhiwatiwa, arrived in Nigeria on August 21, 2024, to meet with UMC members and facilitate the election of a new Nigerian Bishop who was initially detained in Yola, Adamawa State, and subsequently transferred to Abuja on allegations of intentions to promote same-sex marriage in that…
OWN CORRESPONDENT The United Methodist Church (UMC)’s Bishop Eben Nhiwatiwa, who arrived in Nigeria on August 21, 2024, to meet with UMC members and facilitate the election of a new Nigerian Bishop, was detained in Yola, Adamawa State, and subsequently transferred to Abuja on allegations of intentions to promote same-sex marriage in that country….
The Women Community In Africa (WCA) heartily congratulated His Lordship, Hon. Justice Kudirat Kekere- Ekun on her swearing-in as the 23rd Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), the second woman to hold this office in that country. Global President of WCA, Dr. Adetoun Dally in a statement said, “Agreeably, women are making their impact felt in…
Hon Kasauta Saiti Michelo, a Member of the National Assembly for Bweengwa Constituency in Zambia who is also the Chairperson of the Committee on Agriculture, Lands, and Natural Resources, has urged African legislators to formulate laws that support the implementation of the Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP). He was speaking at the just-ended post-Malabo…
Yesterday, the Speaker of the Parliament of Zimbabwe, Hon Jacob F. N. Mudenda, led a high-level delegation in a strategic lobbying effort to secure Botswana’s support for the Transformation of the SADC Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF) into a fully-fledged SADC Parliament under Article 9(1) of the SADC Treaty. At his invitation, the delegation paid…
Southern African women’s rights defenders are calling on heads of state meeting in Zimbabwe on SADC Day, 17 August, to fulfil their commitments to the rights of women in all their diversity. “Tomorrow marks the sixteenth anniversary of the adoption of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Protocol on Gender and Development,” noted Emma…
A fireside chat was held to discuss the transformation of the SADC Parliamentary Forum (SADC-PF) into a SADC Parliament. The session was moderated by Rachel Gondo from the Public Service Accountability Monitor (PSAM) and featured panelists including SADC desk officers from various national parliaments and representatives from civil society organizations. Several issues arose from the…
The Zimbabwe Youth Council joined the rest of the world in celebrating the 2024 International Youth Day yesterday and urged young people to harness digital pathways for sustainable development. Addressing delegates at the sixth Southern Africa Youth Forum (SAYoF) yesterday held under the theme “Empowering the Future: Innovative Education for Sustainable Development in Africa”…
The Thematic Committee on Climate Change visited local farmers in Southeast Lowveld yesterday to explore an innovative solution to the pressing issue of human-wildlife conflict. The farmers have devised a method using chilies to create smoke blocks, which are used to safely and effectively scare away elephants. This practice significantly reduces the risk of…
In line with its resolve to represent the voices of the people towards achieving the Africa we want, the Pan-African Parliament has embarked on a series of consultations that highlight the challenges African women have overcome and continue to face, while also celebrating their achievements and resilience. On the occasion of Pan African Women’s Day,…
Artificial Intelligence (AI) stands at the frontier of technological innovation, offering unparalleled opportunities to bolster business processes and yield to the sustainable development agenda. This was revealed by Hon. Advocate Jacob F.N. Mudenda, the Speaker of Parliament of Zimbabwe at the occasion of the inaugural International Business, Governance and Accounting Conference (IBGAC) at the…
Speaker of the Parliament of Zimbabwe, Hon Jacob F. N. Mudenda has urged the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines and Mining Development to play its role in ensuring the upscaling of mining productivity to enable Zimbabwe to attain greater heights of economic prosperity. He made the call during the induction workshop for the Portfolio…
The President of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), Chief Fortune Zephania Charmbira, is leading a high-level delegation of the Bureau and Secretariat to the Sixth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting (6th MYCM) of the African Union, Regional Economic Communities, and Regional Mechanisms in Accra, Ghana from the 18th-21st July 2024. The Meeting is being held under the theme…
