Story by Mhlomuli Ncube
THE need to cultivate a spirit of collaboration, innovation, and strategic thinking took centre stage at the official opening of the Parliament of Zimbabwe Strategic Planning Meeting in Victoria Falls this Tuesday.
As the Parliament Indaba rolled out, there is consensus on the importance of the legislative institution in upholding Zimbabwe’s democracy.
Clerk of Parliament, Mr Kennedy Chokuda says the new strategic plan requires introspection to learn from the past.
“As an institution it is important for us to sit back and reflect on how we have fared in the past year,” he said.
Speaker of the National Assembly Advocate Jacob Mudenda called for a spirit of collaboration, innovation, and strategic thinking to fully execute all duties related to parliamentary responsibilities.
“Our point of departure must be predicated on the midterm review of the sixth institutional strategic plan. These reviews must undergird a pertinent architecture of the seventh institutional strategic plan. Ascent must be on the embellishment of the Key result areas douched with pointed strategic objectives,” he said.
“Lest we forget, a world-class Parliament riding on an ISO certification is an ephemeral artifact if it does not accentuate the ethos of being a people-driven institution. To that an extent, the people of Zimbabwe are the denominator and barometer of the quintessential success of an implementable Institutional Strategic Plan wherein Parliament would have excelled in the fulfillment of its tripartite roles of oversight, legislation, and representation.”
The draft strategic plan will be shared with legislators for their input before it is adopted by the Standing Rules and Orders Committee.
Upon adoption, the strategic plan will become the working document for Parliament in executing its mandate as provided for by the Constitution.
