By Moses Magadza

WINDHOEK, NAMIBIA – A delegation of senior staff members from the Parliament of Zimbabwe recently completed a week-long learning exchange visit to the National Assembly of Namibia and the Secretariat of the SADC Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF).

Mr. Prince Daniel, Assistant Clerk to the Parliament of Zimbabwe, who led the delegation, described the experience as enriching and pointed to promising prospects for future collaboration.

The six-member delegation focused on deepening their understanding of parliamentary practices, records management, and the institutional evolution of the SADC PF, particularly its transformation journey into a SADC Regional Parliament.

“We might be an old democracy compared to our brothers here in Namibia, but we never stop learning,” Mr. Daniel said in an interview at the close of the visit.

“We continue to learn, especially as we usher in new Members of Parliament and strive to give them the best service possible using modern systems,” he stated.

The Parliament of Zimbabwe is International Organization for Standardization (ISO) certified.

While at the National Assembly of Namibia, the delegation held extensive engagements with officials from the Committees Department, the Library, Records Management, Administration, and the Journals Office.

The highlight of the tour, according to Mr. Daniel, was the Library and Records Management system.

“We were fascinated by how they manage their records electronically. Parliamentary information is bulky, and with electronic records management, you just click a button and instantly locate the exact information.

This is the level of efficiency we aim to replicate as we transition into a fully-fledged E-Parliament,” he said.

He said Zimbabwe’s new Parliament building at Mount Hampden in Harare, “an architectural landmark,” has necessitated a change in basic assumptions in internal operations to match global best practices.

“We must ensure the kind of service that comes out matches what is expected of a world-class Parliament like ours,” he stressed.

The team also explored the procedural nuances of parliamentary questioning in Namibia. Mr. Daniel noted with interest how Namibian MPs often contextualise their questions with background narratives before tabling them in the House, an approach slightly different from Zimbabwe’s system.

“In our Parliament, questions are drafted, approved, and submitted in advance to the respective ministries to allow ministers time to prepare written responses,” he explained.

He added, “We also have impromptu questions without notice, particularly on policy matters, and ministers are expected to respond in detail.”

In the production of the Hansard, Zimbabwe is leading.

“Our Hansard is published online within three hours of production. That is something we are proud of and an area where we can share our experience with our Namibian counterparts,” Mr. Daniel said.

He noted that the visit was not just a one-sided knowledge exchange.

“It was very interactive. They (Namibian counterparts) presented, and we also shared our experiences. We both have so much to learn from each other. That is the spirit of a true learning tour,” Mr Daniel stated.

Beyond the National Assembly, the Zimbabwean team visited the Secretariat of the SADC Parliamentary Forum to gain insights into the Forum’s mandate, structure, and strategic aspirations, including its transformation into a SADC Regional Parliament.

Looking ahead, Mr. Daniel confirmed that the team would compile a report of best practices and recommendations for possible adoption by the Parliament of Zimbabwe.

“If our Parliament is agreeable, some of the practices we saw here will be implemented,” he said.

He also hinted at future reciprocal visits.

He said, “Namibia was the first to visit us in Harare last month. This was a reciprocal visit. We hope to come back again to see how far they have gone in implementing the things we shared, and we will gladly welcome them again to benchmark against our progress. That is how mutual growth happens.”

-Moses Magadza is the Media and Communications Manager at the SADC Parliamentary Forum.