Harare, (New Ziana)-Speaker of the Zimbabwean Parliament, Jacob Mudenda, is in Windhoek, Namibia to attend the inaugural Orientation and Executive Committee (EXCO) Meeting of the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF).
In a statement, the Parliament of Zimbabwe said Mudenda on Monday joined fellow Speakers and Presiding Officers at the revered Namibian Heroes’ Acre for a wreath-laying ceremony led by the SADC PF president, John Tokely.
Paying tribute to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, as well as Namibian leaders, founding father Dr Sam Nujoma and late President Dr Hage Geingob, the delegation underscored the Forum’s respect for the liberation history of the region.
The delegation later paid a courtesy call on newly elected and first female Namibian Speaker of Parliament, Dr Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, who assumed office on March 21, 2025.
It warmly acknowledged her historic election, highlighting the growing influence of women in legislative leadership across the SADC region, before it taken on a guided tour of the Namibian National Assembly.
In a key highlight of the day, the group toured the newly inaugurated SADC PF Headquarters, a modern facility donated by Namibia under a Host Agreement, symbolizing the country’s enduring dedication to regional integration.
During afternoon discussions, Mudenda delivered a passionate address focused on food security, sustainable agriculture, and innovation, noting that “A hungry nation is an angry nation,” whilst emphasizing Africa’s paradox of vast arable land amidst food insecurity.
He outlined Zimbabwe’s success with the Pfumvudza/Intwasa climate-smart agriculture program, which engaged over 3 million farmers this season resulting in the country projecting a maize harvest of 2.7 million metric tons and a record 600 000 metric tons of wheat, partly spurred by geopolitical disruptions to wheat imports.
“A hungry nation is an angry nation. A hungry SADC region is an angry region. A hungry African Continent, is an angry Continent because of failure to attain food sovereignty despite the ironic observation that Africa boasts of 60 million hectares of arable land,” he said.
“It is in this context that Zimbabwe has propagated climate smart agriculture through the nationally adopted Pfumvudza/Intwasa agriculture program.”
Mudenda further announced that Zimbabwe will be hosting of two major events namely the 57th Plenary Assembly of the SADC PF in Victoria Falls from May 31 to June 8 this year, and the 15th Ramsar COP15 from July 23 to 31, both reflecting the government’s strategic use of digital governance and environmental diplomacy.
Addressing the importance of democratic stability, Mudenda cited recent court resolutions in Zimbabwe’s opposition party disputes, noting their positive implications for Parliamentary operations.
He also spotlighted the recent launch of Zimbabwe’s Youth Parliament Model, inspired by Kenya, which engaged 289 youths in a bid to cultivate civic participation.
Calling for stronger regional legislative frameworks, Mudenda urged fellow leaders to examine the proposed Protocol for transforming the SADC PF into a Regional Parliament ahead of its signing at the August Extra-Ordinary SADC Summit.
He also backed Botswana and Lesotho’s parliamentary reforms and encouraged the DRC to regularize its Forum contributions in line with the SADC PF Constitution.
With constitutional principles and regional solidarity at the core of its agenda, the SADC PF EXCO aims to set a clear and cohesive course for legislative collaboration across Southern Africa through 2026.
New Ziana
