Harare – The Parliament of Zimbabwe is set to officially launch its new standing Committee for the Future on 3 September 2026, with a mandate to embed foresight, innovation, and long-term strategic planning into the nation’s legislative processes.

The launch event will take place at 9:00 AM at the Multipurpose Hall, Mt Hampden Parliament Building, under the theme: “Shaping Today. Building Tomorrow.”

Established as a standing committee, the body will enable Parliament to anticipate emerging challenges and opportunities that will shape Zimbabwe’s social, economic, technological, and environmental landscape over the next 10 to 30 years.

Through strategic foresight and evidence-based policy recommendations, the Committee will help advance long-term national priorities that transcend electoral cycles and promote intergenerational justice.

The initiative, championed by Speaker of Parliament Advocate Jacob Mudenda, is part of a broader modernisation drive aligned with global digital advancements and the adoption of Artificial Intelligence.

The Speaker has previously called for Parliament to prepare for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, citing examples of Finland, Uruguay, South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates, which have established similar foresight bodies.

The Committee’s vision is anchored in five core pillars: innovative thinking, inclusive dialogue, evidence-based decisions, a sustainable future, and technology-driven governance.

These principles are expected to guide the Committee’s work as it seeks to cultivate strategies that positively harness emerging technologies, including AI, to enhance parliamentary processes with a futuristic scope.

The launch also aligns with commitments made at the 2024 Summit of the Future regarding the institutionalisation of strategic foresight in governance. Officials have emphasised that the Committee will operate on the ethos of “working today for a better tomorrow,” ensuring that current policy decisions safeguard the interests of future generations.

Parliament has invited all stakeholders to join as it looks beyond today, anticipates tomorrow, and helps shape the Zimbabwe of future generations. The 3 September event marks a significant step in institutionalising long-term thinking within the country’s legislative framework.