The Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda and Parliamentary Clerk Austin Zvoma are both trying to muzzle backbench debate on the ‘Salarygate' scandal – that of huge salaries in the public sector – with threats of lifting parliamentary privilege on criminal defamation actions (AC Vol 55 No 6 State corruption complicates succession battles)...
That was followed by Speaker Jacob Mudenda inserting a new standing order under which MPs could not abuse parliamentary privilege by disclosing names and uncorroborated salary levels without having been cleared by himself...
In Matebeleland North there were only two ministers with Jacob Mudenda the new Speaker of Parliament making up up the third...
His replacement Jacob Mudenda a former ZANU-PF provincial governor is likely to be more partisan...
Bigwigs Sikhanyiso Ndlovu Jacob Mudenda Sithokozile Mathuthu and Cain Mathema back Zenzo Ncube the incumbent against Mpofu's attempt to replace him with Jonathan Moyo...
The suspended chairmen then aligned to Mnangagwa – Mike Madiro (Manicaland) Themba Ncube (Bulawayo) Jacob Mudenda (Matebeleland North) July Moyo (Midlands) Lloyd Siyoka (Matebeleland South) and Daniel Shumba (Masvingo) – have had their punishments rescinded...
The other three like Moyo himself are Ndebele: Jacob Mudenda of Matebeleland North Themba Ncube of Bulawayo Lloyd Siyoka of Matebeleland South...
Middle-ranking figures such as Simon Khaya Moyo Sikhanyiso Ndlovu and Jacob Mudenda are seen as pushing this line but lack the political weight to take a run for the top job themselves...
In Matebeleland North veteran Amos Mkwananzi a long time critic of the centre's leadership was pushed out and replaced by Jacob Mudenda a former civil servant and provincial governor who made his political comeback: he was removed from party positions after his involvement in the Willowvale car scandal was revealed...
