• 31 Jul, 2026
  • Margaret Kamba
  • 188 Reads

Cde Advocate Mudenda elected Chairperson of Conference of Speakers

Zimbabwe has secured another significant continental leadership position after Speaker of Parliament Advocate Hon. Jacob Francis Nzwidamilimo Mudenda was elected Chairperson of the Bureau of the Conference of Speakers of African Parliaments during the annual Conference of Speakers held at the Pan-African Parliament headquarters in Midrand, South Africa.


The election, which took place during the high-level conference running from 31 July to 1 August, places Zimbabwe at the forefront of parliamentary diplomacy across the African continent. Speaker Mudenda will serve a 12-month term leading the Bureau of the Conference of Speakers, coordinating the work of Africa’s parliamentary presiding officers in collaboration with the Pan-African Parliament (PAP).


In a symbolic moment that shows Zimbabwe’s growing influence within continental parliamentary affairs, Speaker Mudenda presided over the opening proceedings of the Conference from the seat of the President of the Pan-African Parliament.


The Conference of Speakers of African Parliaments brings together Speakers and Presiding Officers from national legislatures across Africa to strengthen cooperation, promote parliamentary diplomacy, and enhance collaboration with the Pan-African Parliament, the legislative arm of the African Union.


As Chairperson of the Bureau, Speaker Mudenda will provide strategic leadership in advancing cooperation among African legislatures, promoting democratic governance, strengthening parliamentary oversight, and supporting the continent’s integration agenda in line with the aspirations of the African Union.


His election is widely regarded as a recognition of Zimbabwe’s active participation in continental parliamentary affairs and reflects growing confidence in the country’s leadership on regional and African platforms.


Speaker Mudenda’s tenure will run for the next twelve months, during which he will serve as the principal link between Africa’s national parliaments and the Pan-African Parliament before the Conference convenes again to elect a new Bureau.