Moses Magadza
The SADC Geopolitical Group presented a certificate of distinction to Speaker of the National Assembly Advocate Jacob Mudenda on Friday for his outstanding contribution to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) as a member of its Executive Committee.
In honouring him during at the 148th IPU meeting that took place in Geneva, Switzerland, the SADC Geopolitical Group noted and appreciated his outstanding representation of the group and the SADC region.
President of the SADC Parliamentary Forum (PF) Mr Roger Mancienne, who is Speaker of the Seychelles National Assembly, presented the certificate to Adv Mudenda on behalf of the group.
A stickler for detail, rules and procedure, Adv Mudenda has served as the Speaker of the National Assembly since 2013.
He was elected a member of the IPU 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, Adv 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.
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, as well as in national, regional and multilateral organisations.
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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.
Adv Mudenda was one of four candidates 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 Mergane Kanoute, the Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Senegal; Dr Tulia Ackson, Speaker of the Parliament of United Republic of Tanzania; and Catherine Gotani Hara, Speaker of the Parliament of Malawi.
Adv Mudenda withdrew his candidature and supported Dr Ackson, who was subsequently elected and is now President of the IPU.
As a testament to his commitment to human rights, democracy, gender equality and the inclusion of youth in public affairs, Adv 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 also credited for advocating for 60 proportional representation seats for 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.
Advocate Mudenda said he “accepted with humility the recognition by the August House” for his contribution during his tenure on the IPU Executive Committee.
