Parliament spokesperson Jacob Mudenda called for the drafting of legislation that would promote the use of artificial intelligence in the implementation of national policies, saying it would help the country achieve its development goals as Zimbabwe aims to achieve upper middle income status by 2020.2030.
Chairing the Zimbabwe Parliament Institutional Strategic Plan (ISP) 2024-2028 workshop in Victoria Falls yesterday, Adv Mudenda said AI was now a key pillar of science and technology in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Parliament is formulating a structural strategic plan that will be submitted to legislators for inputs to enable fulfillment of constitutional mandates and respond adroitly to the dynamic needs of various internal and external stakeholders.
Parliament had its inaugural ISP from 2001 to 2005, and the 7th Strategic Plan aims to guide the 10th Parliament and will replace or supplement the 6th ISP which ended with the dissolution of the 9th Parliament before last year’s coordinated elections.
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“Today, we are meeting again, not only to reflect on the past performance of the previous Institutional Strategic Plan, but also to formulate and revise the subsequent Institutional Strategic Plan of the 10th Parliament, which will guide and enlighten the path of the constitutional mandate of the 10th Parliament.
“As we embark on this journey, let us do so in a spirit of collaboration, innovation, strategic intent, and full commitment to the noble pursuit of excellence in our parliamentary responsibilities.”
Barrister Mudenda commended the Clerk of Parliament, Mr. Kennedy Shukuda and the staff for their unwavering dedication and outstanding leadership of Parliament as directed by the Standing Orders and Rules Committee.
He said that it is self-evident that any clear institutional strategic plan must find credibility if and when it is implementable.
Barrister Mudenda said a world-class, ISO-certified parliament is an ephemeral artifact if it does not exude the spirit of being a people-led institution.
“To this extent, the people of Zimbabwe are the denominator and measure of the substantive success of an implementable institutional strategic plan where Parliament would have excelled in fulfilling its triple roles of oversight, legislation and representation,” he said.
“Therefore, any institutional strategic plan that does not embrace people as the subject and objective of its main objective of improving the livelihoods of citizens is invalid.”
Lawyer Mudenda said the institutional strategic plan must be based on the national development ecosystem supported by the Constitution.
“The operationalization of the Charter of Rights is the cornerstone of the rationale for social and economic development, including the National Development Strategy, the Sustainable Development Goals, the African Free Trade Area Agreement as well as the African Union’s Agenda 2063,” he said.
“Furthermore, another area of concern which should underpin the Enhanced 7th Institutional Strategic Plan is the area of potential key outcomes for the robust application of AI-led science and technology on a large scale. It is necessary, as Parliament, to urgently consider drafting legislation on the application of AI Artificial intelligence from an international perspective.
Lawyer Mudenda said Parliament should be guided by Pope Francis’ call to include the voice of every citizen in drafting legislation related to artificial intelligence.
He said Zimbabwe’s Parliament is the only ISO certified Parliament in the world, so the concept of strategic planning is not unfamiliar territory.
“As we formulate the seventh Corporate Strategic Plan, let us be drawn to the kernel of wisdom. Implementing the Corporate Strategic Plan requires careful assessment and evaluation of its implementation matrix,” said Advocate Mudenda.
The workshop will be attended by the Attorney General, Ms. Virginia Mapeza, parliamentary staff, and officials from the Ministries of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Finance, Economic Development, Investment Promotion, development partners, and the private sector.
Some of the objectives of the workshop are to reaffirm Parliament’s mandate, identify stakeholders, formulate a vision, mission and values, analyze the operating environment, come up with key result areas and identify some risks. Announce
