H.E. EDNA MADZONGWE

The Honourable Edna Madzongwe is the President of the Senate of Zimbabwe, the first woman in the country and in the continent of Africa to occupy such a position. She was previously Deputy Secretary for Production and Labour.

A holder of a BA degree with a major in English, Ms. Madzongwe undertook postgraduate studies at the University of Massachusetts, Amhurst Campus, where she earned a Masters of Education. She specialised in educational psychology and urban education, and also obtained formal certification as teacher of English, guidance and counselling.

In 1990 she was elected as the Member of Parliament from the Kadoma East Constituency. In this role, she became the first woman to chair a Standing Committee of Parliament in the history of Zimbabwe.

In 1994, she was appointed as the Deputy Minister of Education and Culture. The following year, she was elected as the Deputy Speaker of the House of Parliament of Zimbabwe and Chairman of Committees.

In 2005, she was elected the First Female President of the Zimbabwean Senate, and was re-elected in 2008 and 2013. She has consistently represented her country on the global diplomatic stage. She is a member of the Forum for African Women Educationalists, and is the Deputy President of the African Parliamentary Union, an organisation of parliaments in Africa, including Arabic speaking countries.