{{Short description|Zimbabwean politician}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = The Honourable | name = Jacob Mudenda | honorific_suffix = | image = Jacob Mudenda 2022 (cropped).jpg | image_size = | caption = Mudenda in 2022 | office1 = Speaker of the National Assembly | term_start1 = 3 September 2013 | term_end1 = | predecessor1 = Lovemore Moyo | successor1 = | deputy1 = Tsitsi Gezi | president1 = {{unbulletedlist|Robert Mugabe <small>2013-2017</small>|Emmerson Mnangagwa <small>2017-present</small>}} | office2 = Secretary General of ZANU-PF | term_start2 = September 2025 | term_end2 = | predecessor2 = Obert Mpofu | successor2 = | office3 = Provincial Governor of Matabeleland North | term_start3 = 22 July 1985 | term_end3 = 1 April 1990 | president3 = Robert Mugabe | predecessor3 = Daniel Ngwenya | successor3 = Jevan Maseko | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1946|05|31|df=y}} | birth_place = Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe | death_date = | death_place = | party = ZANU–PF | other_party = | spouse = | partner = <!--For those with a domestic partner and not married--> | relations = | children = | education = | alma_mater = University of South Africa (BA)<br>University of Zimbabwe (LLB) | occupation = | profession = Lawyer, politician | known_for = | committees = | awards = | website = }}
'''Jacob Francis Nzwidamilimo Mudenda''' is the current Speaker of the National Assembly of Zimbabwe<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.pindula.co.zw/Jacob_Mudenda|title=Jacob Mudenda |website=Pindula|access-date=2018-10-04}}</ref> and Secretary General of the Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pindula.co.zw/Jacob_Mudenda|title=Jacob Mudenda |website=Pindula |access-date=2018-10-04}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|title=ZANU-PF succession fight goes public as schisms deepen |date=7 October 2025 |journal=Africa Confidential |volume=66 |issue=20 |url=https://www.africa-confidential.com/article/id/15671/zanu-pf-succession-fight-goes-public-as-schisms-deepen |url-access=subscription }}</ref> A longtime schoolteacher and lawyer, Mudenda joined the Zimbabwe political scene after it gained independence from the British in 1980.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://bulawayo24.com/index-id-news-sc-national-byo-35716.html|title=Jacob Mudenda's political rise-fall-and-rise tale|last=eDuzeNet|work=Bulawayo24 News|access-date=2018-10-12}}</ref> Mudenda is well known for his relationship with former Zimbabwe president, Robert Mugabe, along with the rise and fall of his political career after the Willowgate scandal.
== Background == Jacob Francis Mudenda was born in Zimbabwe<!-- in 1946-->.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thezimbabwean.co/2013/09/jacob-mudenda-sworn-in-as/|title=Jacob Mudenda sworn in as Speaker of Parliament|website=www.thezimbabwean.co|language=en-US|access-date=2018-10-24}}</ref> Mudenda earned numerous degrees before joining the workforce. Mudenda earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of South Africa while majoring in English and education.<ref name=":0" /> He followed this degree by achieving his Bachelor of Laws honour degree from the University of Zimbabwe.<ref name=":0" /> In addition, he went back to school a third time to receive a Postgraduate Diploma in Law from the University of Zimbabwe.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sedco.co.zw/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=16%3Aadvocate-jacob-francis-mudenda&catid=14&Itemid=14|title=Advocate Jacob Francis Mudenda}}{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> After gaining his second diploma from the University of Zimbabwe, Mudenda went on to practice law and teach in Zimbabwe until his decision to enter politics.
== Early political career == Upon independence in 1980 from British control, Mudenda was selected by the Mugabe government regime as a district administrator for the ZANU Party. Through connections to Mugabe personally and good results, Mudenda was soon promoted to the party's provincial administrator.<ref name=":1" /> On 22 July 1985, he was appointed Provincial Governor of Matabeleland North, succeeding Daniel Ngwenya, who had served in the post since March 1984.<ref>{{cite act | title = General Notice 617 of 1985| type = Government Gazette| date = 1985-10-11|institution= Government of Zimbabwe| at = Harare| url = https://archive.gazettes.africa/archive/zw/1985/zw-government-gazette-dated-1985-10-11-no-63.pdf| access-date = 2025-10-16}}</ref> It was during Mudenda's term as Governor that the Gukurahundi massacres took place across Matabeleland.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/BreakingTheSilenceBuildingTruePeace|title=Breaking the Silence, Building True Peace|last=Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace in Zimbabwe|last2=Legal Resources Foundation|date=1997 }}</ref> Gukurahundi took place from early 1983 to late 1987, leaving over 20,000 individuals dead, and Mudenda is considered to have been Mugabe's line of contact through the period.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-zimbabwe-gukurahundi-play/banned-by-mugabe-play-about-gukurahundi-massacres-finally-staged-idUSKCN1IX4SB |title=Banned by Mugabe, play about Gukurahundi massacres finally staged|last=Dzirutwe|first=MacDonald|work=Reuters |date=1 June 2018 |access-date=2018-10-24 }}</ref> Mudenda was replaced as Governor on 1 April 1990 by Jevan Maseko.
== Willowgate scandal and aftermath == {{Main|Willowgate}} In the late 1980s, Mudenda, along with other members of the Zimbabwe government, were implicated in a scandal involving the illegal sales of cars. Mudenda, along with the other individuals involved, purchased vehicles from a legal importer in Willowvale at a low rate and would sell the vehicles at a highly inflated price.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.pindula.co.zw/Willowgate_Scandal|title=Willowgate Scandal |website=Pindula |access-date=2018-10-24}}</ref> Mugabe, and many other politicians were involved in the investigation. Mudenda was found to have made more than 100,000 Zimbabwe dollars ($51,000) in the purchase and resale of one vehicle.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Meldrum|first=A|date=1989|title=The Corruption Controversy|journal=Africa Report|volume=34|pages=36}}</ref> The scandal ended the political careers of many individuals, including Maurice Nyagumbo.<ref name=":2" /> Mudenda, however, was able to make his way back into politics after years away from serving as a government official. In his time away from politics, Mudenda spent significant time establishing his law firm. The firm, Mudenda Attorneys Legal Practitioners, still practices in Bulawayo today.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.myzimbabwe.co.zw/news/24469-law-society-bars-40-lawyers-among-them-mudenda-from-practising-see-some-of-the-names.html|title=Law Society bars 40 lawyers among them Mudenda from practising (See some of the names)|date=2018-05-25|work=My Zimbabwe News|access-date=2018-12-02}}</ref>
== Return to politics == [[File:The 2nd International Parliamentary Conference “Russia-Africa”, 19-20 March 2023.jpg|thumb|Mudenda, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and Vyacheslav Volodin at the “Russia-Africa” parliamentary conference in Moscow on 20 March 2023]] In February, 2013 Mudenda stepped back into the public sphere with his appointment as the chairman of the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC).<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Salcedo-Albarán|first=Eduardo|date=January 2017|title=Coltan Trafficking Network in the Democratic Republic of Congo|journal=The Global Observatory of Transnational Criminal Networks|volume=5}}</ref> The return to politics did not come without controversy. Some in Zimbabwe felt that Mudenda's appointment did not follow constitutional procedures.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Chiduza |first=L.|date=2015|title=The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission: Prospects and challenges for the protection of human rights |journal=Law Democracy & Development |volume=19}}</ref> Mudenda's appointment lasted only a short period of time, however, as he was elected the Speaker of the House on July 31 of the same year.<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal |last=Dzirutwe|first=MacDonald|last2=Brock|first2=Joe|last3=Cropley|first3=Ed|date=2018-01-01|title=The inside story of Mugabe's downfall|hdl=10520/EJC-c70dcd83c|journal=New Agenda: South African Journal of Social and Economic Policy |volume=2018 |number=68 |pages=32–35 |issn=1607-2820}}</ref> On September 3, 2013 Mudenda took his position replacing former Speaker, Lovemore Moyo<ref name=":3" /> Mudenda has remained in the same position since his appointment in 2013.
==See also== *List of speakers of the National Assembly of Zimbabwe
== References == <references />
{{Members of the 8th Parliament of Zimbabwe}} {{Members of the 5th Parliament of Zimbabwe}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mudenda, Jacob}} Category:1949 births Category:Living people Category:20th-century Zimbabwean politicians Category:Speakers of the National Assembly of Zimbabwe Category:ZANU–PF politicians Category:20th-century Zimbabwean lawyers Category:Zimbabwean educators Category:Provincial governors of Zimbabwe Category:University of South Africa alumni Category:University of Zimbabwe alumni Category:Members of the National Assembly of Zimbabwe Category:Members of the 5th Parliament of Zimbabwe Category:Members of the 8th Parliament of Zimbabwe