By Moses Magadza

The SADC Geopolitical Group on March 22, 2024, presented a Certificate of Distinction to Honourable Advocate Jacob Francis Nzwidamilimo Mudenda, Speaker of the Parliament of Zimbabwe for his outstanding contribution to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) as a member of its Executive Committee.

In honouring Advocate Mudenda during the SADC Group meeting at the 148th IPU that took place in Geneva, Switzerland, the SADC Geopolitical Group noted and appreciated his outstanding representation of the group and the SADC region at the IPU.

The President of the SADC PF, Honourable Roger Mancienne who is also the Speaker of the National Assembly of Seychelles, presented the Certificate of Distinction to Advocate Mudenda on behalf of the SADC Group.

A stickler for detail, the rules and procedure, Advocate Mudenda has served as the Speaker and Head of the Parliament of Zimbabwe since 2013. He was elected a member of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Executive Committee in 2020 having served as the president of the Africa Geopolitical Group.

A veteran educationist and long-serving legal practitioner who also is an affirmed human rights defender, Advocate Mudenda has dedicated his life in pursuit of justice, equality, inclusivity, participatory democracy, transparent accountable governance and the rule of law.

He boasts of vast experience of over 53 years in public affairs, governance and political activism dating back before Zimbabwe’s independence.

He has been a parliamentarian in Zimbabwe for more than 20 years and was Head of the Zimbabwe Delegation to the IPU for 10 years until 2023.

He has held numerous senior positions in public institutions, the Government and Parliament of Zimbabwe as well as in national, regional and multilateral organisations.

These include the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission, the Small Enterprises Development Corporation, the SADC Parliamentary Forum where he is a member of the Executive Committee, Southern Africa Development Community Organisation of Public Accounts Committees, African Parliamentarians Network Against Corruption, African Parliamentarians Network on Development Evaluation and in the IPU.

Advocate Mudenda was one of four candidatures from the Africa Geopolitical Group comprising one man and three women, who had been received to stand for election as the President of the IPU following decisions taken at the 290th session of the Executive Committee of the IPU.

The other candidates were Honourable Mergane Kanoute, the Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Senegal; Right Honourable Dr Tulia Ackson, Speaker of the Parliament of United Republic of Tanzania; and Right Honourable Catherine Gotani Hara, Speaker of the Parliament of Malawi.

Advocate Mudenda withdrew his candidature and supported Right Honourable Ackson, who was subsequently elected and is now the President of the IPU.

Earlier in 2022 during the 47^th Plenary Assembly Session of the SADC PF, which was held virtually, Advocate Mudenda moved a motion that rallied the Plenary behind the candidature of Mr Duarte Pacheco of Portugal for the position of President the IPU for the period 2020 to 2022.

Strongly seconded by the then Speaker of the National Assembly of South Africa, Honourable Thandi Modise, Advocate Mudenda reiterated the need for IPU Membership to “elect a President with extensive experience in the operations and functions of the IPU in order to steer the organisation to greater heights in line with its vision”.

He argued that Mr. Pacheco had the relevant experience, having held various positions within the IPU structure including: Head of the National Delegation to the IPU since 2016; Chairperson of the Twelve Plus Geopolitical Group since 2017; Member of the IPUs Standing Committee on Peace and International Security as Vice President 2014 – 2016; Internal Auditor for the IPU in 2007, 2011, 2013 and 2015; and Member of the Portuguese delegation to the IPU since April 2002.

Mr. Pacheco was subsequently elected as the 30th President of the IPU.

As a testament to his commitment to human rights, democracy, gender equality and the inclusion of youth in public affairs, Advocate Mudenda is a ‘HeforShe’ champion, and has campaigned for the establishment of a vibrant Women’s Parliamentary Caucus in the Zimbabwe Parliament and at the SADC Parliamentary Forum.

He is credited, also, for advocating for sixty (60) proportional representation of female Parliamentarians and is one of the first political Heads of Parliament to sign up for the “Say Yes to Youth in Parliament” IPU campaign.

He has also advocated for the inauguration of the Youth Parliamentary Caucus to engage young Parliamentarians in Parliamentary processes.  

In this connection, the Parliament of Zimbabwe amended the National Constitution to provide for 10 young Parliamentarians to represent youth interests in the National Assembly.

Advocate Mudenda said he “accepted with humility the recognition by the August House” of his contribution during his tenure on the IPU Executive Committee.