Harare – A high-level Zimbabwean parliamentary delegation led by the Speaker of the National Assembly, Advocate Jacob Francis Nzwidamilimo Mudenda, is set to undertake a bilateral visit to the House of Commons in London from 18 to 24 October 2026.

According to an official programme update dated 7 October 2026, the delegation will engage in a series of high-profile meetings with British parliamentary leaders, including the Speaker of the House of Commons, Rt Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP.

The visit, aimed at strengthening parliamentary ties between Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom, will see the delegation arrive at the Carriage Gates on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, followed by a guided tour of the Palace of Westminster led by Chris Symonds MBE.

The core programme is scheduled for Wednesday, 21 October 2026. The delegation will be formally welcomed followed by a meeting with the Speaker of the House of Commons.

Official photographs, a signing of the guestbook, and a gift exchange will take place in the Crimson Room immediately after.

Throughout the day, the Zimbabwean delegation will hold talks with the British Group Inter-Parliamentary Union (BGIPU) Executive Committee and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) UK Executive Committee. The delegation will also observe Prime Minister’s Questions from the Speaker’s Gallery.

A luncheon in honour of Speaker Mudenda will be held at the State Dining Room, where both speakers are expected to deliver remarks. The confirmed guest list includes prominent UK parliamentarians such as Rt Dame Diane Abbott MP, Mother of the House of Commons; Rt Dame Emily Thornberry MP, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee; and Kirsty McNeill MP, Minister for Africa. Notably, Adam Jogee MP, understood to be the only UK MP of Zimbabwe heritage, is also on the guest list.

The afternoon session will feature a meeting with Ms Sarah Davies, Clerk Assistant and Managing Director of the Chamber and Participation Team, focusing on “Artificial Intelligence in Parliament: Uses and Implications.”

The delegation comprises five parliamentarians—Webster Kotiwani Shamu, Mercy Mugomo, Noah Mangondo (all ZANU PF), and Vivian Chitimbe and Consillia Chinanzvavana (both CCC)—along with senior officials from the Speaker’s Office and representatives from the Zimbabwean Embassy in London, including Ambassador Colonel Retired Christian Katsande.

The programme notes that meetings with several UK parliamentary committees, including the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee, could not be confirmed. The visit is expected to conclude with a possible visit to the Parliament shop before departure.