History of Zimbabwe facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

For a very long time, until about 2,000 years ago, the land that is now Zimbabwe was home to the ancestors of the San people. Later, Bantu groups arrived. They brought new skills like making pottery. Over time, powerful trading kingdoms grew in the region. These included the Kingdom of Mapungubwe and the Kingdom of Zimbabwe.

In the 1880s, the British South Africa Company started to explore and claim the area. This led to the colonial period, when the land was called Southern Rhodesia. In 1965, the colonial government declared itself independent as Rhodesia. However, most countries did not recognize this. The country then faced a long war called the Rhodesian Bush War.

After 15 years of fighting, an agreement was reached in 1979. This led to a new government in 1980 that was recognized by the world. The United Kingdom, which had never accepted Rhodesia's independence, briefly took control. Then, on April 18, 1980, the new country of Zimbabwe became fully independent. In the 2000s, Zimbabwe's economy faced many problems. This was due to things like economic sanctions from Western countries and widespread corruption. These economic troubles caused many Zimbabweans to move to other countries. Before 1980, Zimbabwe was known by names like Rhodesia, Southern Rhodesia, and Zimbabwe Rhodesia.

Early History of Zimbabwe

Ancient Times

People, like our early ancestors, first arrived in the area now known as Zimbabwe around 150,000 BC. They came from East Africa. Before the Bantu-speaking people arrived, the region was home to the ancestors of the San people. The first Bantu-speaking farmers came about 2,000 years ago.

These early Bantu speakers made pottery. This pottery has been found in southeast Zimbabwe and dates back to the 300s to 500s AD. Other groups, like the makers of the Ziwa and Gokomere pottery, arrived around the 400s AD. They traded beads, possibly for gold, with people on the coast.

Later, the Zhizo culture developed in southern Zimbabwe. Their communities settled in the Shashe-Limpopo area in the 900s. They made ivory bracelets and other goods. Imported beads show they traded with people on the Indian Ocean coast.

Rise of Kingdoms

The impressive stone towers at Great Zimbabwe.

Around the 9th century, societies that spoke the Kalanga language began to appear in the Limpopo valley. They later moved to the Zimbabwean highlands. The Zimbabwean plateau became the center for later Kalanga states.

The Kingdom of Mapungubwe was the first of these advanced trading states. It existed when the first European explorers from Portugal arrived. They traded gold, ivory, and copper for things like cloth and glass.

From about 1250 to 1450, the Kingdom of Zimbabwe became more powerful than Mapungubwe. This Kalanga state improved on Mapungubwe's stone buildings. You can still see these amazing ruins today at Great Zimbabwe, which was the capital.

After 1450, the Kingdom of Mutapa took over. This Kalanga state ruled much of present-day Zimbabwe and parts of Mozambique. It was famous for its gold trade with Arabs and the Portuguese.

Portuguese Influence and New Powers

A Portuguese explorer named António Fernandes first entered the area in 1511. He met the Manyika people. He returned in 1513 and explored more, meeting the ruler of Mutapa. In the early 1600s, Portuguese settlers caused problems for the trade. This led to wars that almost destroyed the Mutapa Empire.

Because of the Portuguese actions, a new Kalanga state called the Rozvi Empire emerged. The Rozvi were strong warriors. They used their military skills to force the Portuguese out of the Zimbabwe plateau. The Rozvi continued the tradition of building with stone. They also added guns to their weapons and had a professional army to protect their trade routes.

Around 1821, a Zulu general named Mzilikazi formed his own group, the Ndebele. They moved northwards, causing a lot of destruction. When Dutch settlers, called Boers, arrived in 1836, they pushed the Ndebele even further north.

The Ndebele Kingdom

After losing their lands in South Africa in 1840, Mzilikazi and his tribe settled permanently in what is now southwest Zimbabwe. This area became known as Matabeleland. They made Bulawayo their capital. Mzilikazi organized his society like a military, which helped them stop further attacks from the Boers.

The Ndebele society had different groups, but over time, these differences became less important. The Ndebele people traditionally worshipped Unkunkulu as their main god. However, with the spread of Christianity, traditional Ndebele religion is less common today.

Mzilikazi died in 1868. After a struggle for power, his son, Lobengula, became the new king. King Mzilikazi had created the Ndebele Kingdom, and Shona people paid tribute to him. Lobengula met European powers for the first time. He signed various treaties with different nations. He tried to play them against each other to keep his kingdom independent and get their help if needed.

Colonial Rule (1890–1980)

In the 1880s, Cecil Rhodes, a British diamond magnate, started to expand his British South Africa Company (BSAC) into the region. In 1898, the area was officially named Southern Rhodesia.

In 1888, Rhodes got permission from King Lobengula to mine for gold and other minerals. Rhodes used this permission to convince the British government to give his company a special charter. This charter gave the BSAC control over Matabeleland and Mashonaland. Rhodes wanted to control all the land between the Limpopo River and Lake Tanganyika.

Rhodes encouraged white settlers to move to the region. They set up mines to dig for diamonds and other valuable resources. In 1895, the BSAC named the territory 'Rhodesia' in honor of Cecil Rhodes. In 1898, 'Southern Rhodesia' became the official name for the area south of the Zambezi River, which is now Zimbabwe. The area to the north became Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia).

The Shona people fought wars against the BSAC in 1896 and 1897. These wars were called Chimurenga. They were trying to stop the British from taking their lands. However, the Shona and Ndebele groups eventually came under Rhodes's control. This led to many European settlers moving into the new colony.

The colony's first official rules were written in 1899. They were similar to those in South Africa. Many people thought Southern Rhodesia would eventually join South Africa. The land was opened for white settlement. These settlers were given a lot of power in the government. While voting was open to all, it was set up so that mostly Europeans could vote. This meant Britain couldn't easily change its policies in Southern Rhodesia.

World War I

As a British territory, Southern Rhodesia joined World War I in August 1914. Rhodesians were very eager to join the war. British forces in Southern Africa focused on capturing the German colony of South-West Africa (now Namibia). Rhodesian soldiers helped guard Victoria Falls and fought in the invasion of German South-West Africa.

After the British victory there, many Rhodesian units, mostly white, were sent to the Western Front in Europe. They fought in major battles. Some Rhodesian soldiers also fought in Macedonia and joined the Royal Flying Corps (an early air force). Other Rhodesian regiments helped invade German East Africa (now Tanzania). This led to a tough guerrilla war. By November 1918, the war ended.

A stamp from Southern Rhodesia in 1947, showing princesses Elizabeth and Margaret.

Southern Rhodesia became a self-governing British colony in October 1923. This happened after a vote the year before. The British government took full control of the British South Africa Company's lands. Southern Rhodesia was allowed to govern itself, but with some limits. London still controlled its foreign affairs. All new laws needed approval from the United Kingdom government and the Queen.

In 1930, the Land Apportionment Act was passed. This law divided rural land based on race. About 51% of the land was given to around 50,000 white people. Only 29.8% was left for over a million Africans.

Many Rhodesians fought for the United Kingdom during World War II. They mainly fought against Axis forces in East Africa.

In 1953, the British government joined Southern Rhodesia with Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland (now Malawi). This new group was called the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. Southern Rhodesia had the most power in this federation. However, people in Nyasaland did not like this idea. They worried about being controlled by white Rhodesians.

By 1962, African nationalism was growing. The British government said that Nyasaland and Northern Rhodesia could leave the Federation.

Unilateral Declaration of Independence

After African-majority governments took control in Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland, the white-minority government in Southern Rhodesia decided to act. Led by Ian Smith, they made a Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) from the United Kingdom on November 11, 1965.

The United Kingdom called this an act of rebellion. But they did not use force to stop it. The white minority government declared itself a republic in 1970. A civil war began. Joshua Nkomo's ZAPU and Robert Mugabe's ZANU fought against the government. They received help from Zambia and Mozambique. Even though no country recognized Smith's declaration, Southern Rhodesia dropped the name "Southern" and called itself the Republic of Rhodesia in 1970.

Independence and the 1980s

The country officially became independent as Zimbabwe on April 18, 1980. The celebrations were held in Rufaro stadium in Salisbury, the capital city. Many important people from other countries attended. These included Prime Minister Indira Gandhi of India and President Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia. Bob Marley sang his song 'Zimbabwe' at the celebration.

Nigeria's President, Shehu Shagari, promised $15 million to help train Zimbabweans. Mugabe's government used some of this money to buy newspaper companies. This gave the government more control over the media.

Mugabe's government changed the capital's name from Salisbury to Harare on April 18, 1982. This was to celebrate the second anniversary of independence. They also renamed the main street in the capital after Samora Machel, the President of Mozambique.

In 1992, a study showed that over 500 health centers had been built since 1980. The number of vaccinated children increased from 25% in 1980 to 67% in 1988. Life expectancy also went up from 55 to 59 years. School enrollment greatly increased after primary education became free. In 1988, a law was passed that gave women the same rights as men, at least in theory. Before this, women needed their father's or husband's permission for many things.

The new Constitution created a President as Head of State and a Prime Minister as Head of Government. Reverend Canaan Banana was the first President. In 1987, the government changed the Constitution. They created an Executive President and removed the Prime Minister's job. These changes took effect on January 1, 1988, with Robert Mugabe becoming president.

The Parliament of Zimbabwe had two parts: a House of Assembly and a Senate. The Constitution first had separate voter lists for black people and other ethnic groups. Black people had 80% of the seats. In 1986, the government changed this. They removed the separate voter lists. In 1990, the Senate was removed.

Prime Minister Mugabe kept Peter Walls, the head of the army. Walls was in charge of combining the different armies that had fought in the war. Western media praised Mugabe for trying to make peace with the white minority. However, tensions soon grew. Walls later said he had asked British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to cancel the 1980 election results. He claimed Mugabe used intimidation to win. British officials denied not responding to his request.

Minister of Information Nathan Shamuyarira said the government would not tolerate "disloyal characters." Walls moved to South Africa.

Soon, ethnic divisions became a problem again. Tensions between ZAPU and ZANU led to fighting in Matabeleland. Joshua Nkomo (ZAPU) went into exile in Britain. He only returned when Mugabe promised his safety. In 1982, government officials found weapons on ZAPU properties. They accused Nkomo and his followers of planning to overthrow the government. Mugabe fired Nkomo and his aides from the cabinet.

Because of these problems, the government kept a "state of emergency." This gave them wide powers, like holding people without charge. From 1983 to 1984, the government sent the army into Matabeleland. This campaign was called the Gukuruhundi. It resulted in at least 20,000 civilian deaths.

ZANU-PF won more seats in the 1985 elections. This allowed Mugabe to start changing the constitution. Fighting continued until Mugabe and Nkomo reached an agreement in December 1987. ZAPU joined ZANU-PF. The government changed the constitution to make Mugabe the country's first executive president. Nkomo became one of two vice-presidents.

The 1990s

Elections in March 1990 were another big win for Mugabe and his party. They won 117 out of 120 seats. However, observers said the election was not completely fair. Mugabe wanted to create a one-party state, but his party's Central Committee did not support this in September 1990.

The government began changing the constitution again. Human rights groups criticized these changes. They brought back harsh punishments and made it harder for people to challenge the government taking their land. By 1997, 25% of Zimbabwe's population had HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

During the 1990s, students, trade union members, and workers often protested against the government. Students protested in 1990 against more government control over universities. They also clashed with police in 1991 and 1992. Trade unionists and workers also criticized the government. In 1992, police stopped trade unionists from holding anti-government protests. In 1994, widespread strikes hurt the economy. In 1996, civil servants, nurses, and doctors went on strike over pay.

On December 9, 1997, a national strike stopped the country. Mugabe was worried by protests from war veterans. He agreed to pay them large amounts of money and pensions. This was a huge, unplanned cost for the government. The unhappiness with the government led to harsh crackdowns. This started to damage the country and its society.

Many white people had left Zimbabwe after independence. However, those who stayed still controlled a large part of the economy, especially farming. In the late 1990s, white farmers owned 70% of the arable land, even though they were less than 1% of the population. Mugabe brought up this issue of land ownership. He began to take land from white farmers by force. This caused problems with the International Monetary Fund. During a severe drought, police and the military were told not to stop 'war veterans' and youth groups from invading white-owned farms. This led to many white Zimbabweans leaving the country. Today, almost no farmland is owned by white farmers.

Economy in the 1980s and 1990s

The economy was tightly controlled by the government. There were strict rules on wages, prices, and government spending. This led to large budget deficits. These policies had mixed results. Zimbabwe fell further behind developed countries, and unemployment grew.

Some market reforms were tried in the 1990s. The Zimbabwean dollar lost a lot of its value, and price and wage controls were removed. But these policies also failed. Economic growth, jobs, and social services all decreased. Inflation did not get better. Many factories closed because of more competition and high interest rates. Poverty in the country increased during this time.

1999 to 2000

In 1999, Zimbabwe began to experience major political and economic problems. More people started to oppose President Mugabe and his ZANU-PF government. This was partly because the economy was getting worse and human rights were declining. These problems were made worse by the seizure of farmland from white farmers and economic sanctions from Western countries.

The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) was formed in September 1999. It was an opposition party started by a trade union leader named Morgan Tsvangirai.

The MDC had its first chance to challenge Mugabe in February 2000. There was a vote on a new constitution proposed by the government. This new constitution would have allowed President Mugabe to stay in office for two more terms. It also would have protected government officials from being charged with crimes. And it would have allowed the government to take white-owned land. The people voted against the new constitution.

Soon after, the government supported a group of 'war veterans' to take land from white farmers. Some of these 'war veterans' were too young to have fought in the war. This program often involved forcing white farmers off their land and violence against farmers and their workers.

Parliamentary elections in June 2000 had some problems. There was local violence, voting issues, and the government tried to scare opposition supporters. Despite this, the MDC won 57 out of 120 seats in the National Assembly.

2002 Elections

Presidential elections were held in March 2002. Before the election, ZANU-PF, with help from the army and 'war veterans', tried to scare and stop the MDC opposition. Even though many countries criticized these actions, Mugabe won the election.

The government's actions were strongly criticized by the European Union and the United States. They put some sanctions on the main members of Mugabe's government. Since the 2002 election, Zimbabwe has faced more economic problems and political chaos.

2003–2005

GBP 8 worth of Zimbabwean dollars in 2003.

Problems within the MDC opposition began to grow. Morgan Tsvangirai, the MDC president, was caught in a government trap. He was filmed talking about removing Mr. Mugabe from power. He was arrested and charged with treason. This weakened his control over the party and raised questions about his leadership. It also caused a major split in the party. In 2004, he was found not guilty, but he had been badly treated in prison.

The other side of the MDC was led by Welshman Ncube. In mid-2004, people loyal to Tsvangirai started attacking members loyal to Ncube. This led to a raid on the party's headquarters in Harare. An investigation later found that Tsvangirai's helpers had allowed or even supported the violence.

The party finally split in November 2005 over a debate about the rule of law. These divisions greatly weakened the opposition. Also, the government used its own agents to spy on and cause problems for both sides.

Parliamentary elections were held in March 2005. ZANU-PF won a large majority. International observers again said the elections had problems. Mugabe's political helpers were able to weaken the opposition from the inside. The state's security forces used violence in areas that supported the opposition to stop people from voting. Some voters were turned away from polling stations even with proper ID. This helped the government control the results. Mugabe also started to appoint judges who supported the government, making it useless to appeal in court. Mugabe could also appoint 30 members of parliament himself.

As Senate elections approached, the opposition split further. Ncube's supporters wanted to put forward candidates. Tsvangirai's supporters wanted to boycott the election. Ncube's side won the vote, but Tsvangirai said that as party president, he was not bound by the majority's decision. This weakened the opposition again. As a result, the elections for a new Senate in November 2005 were largely boycotted by the opposition. Mugabe's party won most of the seats. There was low voter turnout, and evidence of voter intimidation and fraud appeared again.

In May 2005, the government started Operation Murambatsvina. Officially, it was meant to remove illegal buildings and businesses in cities. But in reality, it was used to punish political opponents. The UN estimated that 700,000 people lost their jobs or homes. Families were often given no warning before police destroyed their homes. Thousands of families were left without shelter in the middle of Zimbabwe's winter. The government sometimes stopped aid groups from helping the displaced people. Some families were moved to temporary camps. These camps had no shelter, cooking facilities, or enough food and water. The operation continued into July 2005. The government then started a program to provide housing, but it was not enough.

Human Rights Watch said the evictions made it harder for people with HIV/AIDS to get treatment. Amnesty International called the operation "a massive human rights problem." By September 2006, not enough housing had been built. Reports said that mostly civil servants and ruling party supporters received the new homes, not those who were displaced. The government continued forced evictions in 2006, but on a smaller scale.

In September 2005, Mugabe signed changes to the constitution. These brought back a national senate and made all land state-owned. This meant that land owners now only had leases, not full ownership. The changes also ended the right of landowners to challenge the government taking their land in court. This meant there was no hope of getting back land that had been taken by armed invasions.

Elections for the senate in November resulted in a victory for the government. The MDC split over whether to put forward candidates and partly boycotted the vote. There was low voter turnout and widespread government intimidation. The split in the MDC became permanent, with each side claiming to control the party. The early months of 2006 saw food shortages and widespread hunger.

2006 to 2007

In August 2006, very high inflation forced the government to replace its money with a revalued currency. In December 2006, ZANU-PF suggested combining the parliamentary and presidential elections in 2010. The opposition saw this as a way to extend Mugabe's term as president.

Morgan Tsvangirai was badly beaten on March 12, 2007. He was arrested and held at a police station in Harare. This event caused an international outcry. It was seen as very brutal, even for Mugabe's government. Amnesty International said they were "very concerned by reports of continuing brutal attacks on opposition activists."

The economy shrank by 50% from 2000 to 2007. In September 2007, the inflation rate was almost 8,000%, the highest in the world. There were frequent power and water outages. Harare's drinking water became unsafe in 2006. This led to dysentery and cholera outbreaks in late 2006 and early 2007. Unemployment in formal jobs reached a record 80%. There was widespread hunger. The government was accused of using food aid to control people, giving less to opposition areas. Bakeries closed because of poor wheat harvests.

Zimbabwe, once one of Africa's richest countries, became one of its poorest. Many people started to see the country as a 'failed state'. The government did not have enough resources to deal with the HIV/AIDS problem, which affected 25% of the population. With all these issues and the forced removal of white farmers, Mugabe faced widespread criticism from around the world.

The government managed to stay in power by creating wealthy areas for ministers and party members. For example, Borrowdale Brook, a suburb of Harare, was an area of wealth. It had mansions, full shops, and was home to President Mugabe's retreat.

Zimbabwe's bakeries closed in October 2007. Supermarkets warned they would have no bread because wheat production had collapsed after the seizure of white-owned farms. The government also blamed power shortages for the wheat problem. Zimbabwe relied on Mozambique for some electricity, but Mozambique reduced supply because of an unpaid bill. On December 4, 2007, the United States put travel restrictions on 38 people connected to President Mugabe. They said these people "played a central role in the regime's escalated human rights abuses."

On December 8, 2007, Mugabe attended a meeting of EU and African leaders in Lisbon. UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown chose not to attend. While German Chancellor Angela Merkel criticized Mugabe, other African leaders supported him.

Education System Decline

The education system in Zimbabwe, once considered one of the best in Africa, faced a crisis in 2007. This was due to the country's economic collapse. One reporter saw hundreds of children writing in the dust on the floor because they had no books or pencils. The high school exam system fell apart in 2007. Examiners refused to mark papers because they were offered very little money. Corruption also became a problem. However, the education system has since recovered and is still seen as strong in Southern Africa.

2008 Elections and Power-Sharing

Zimbabwe held a presidential election on March 29, 2008. There were three main candidates: President Robert Mugabe (ZANU-PF), Morgan Tsvangirai (MDC-T), and Simba Makoni. No candidate won more than half the votes in the first round. So, a second round was planned for June 27, 2008, between Tsvangirai (who got 47.9% of votes) and Mugabe (who got 43.2%).

Tsvangirai pulled out of the second round a week before it was supposed to happen. He said there was too much violence against his party's supporters. The second round still went ahead, even with widespread criticism. Mugabe won.

Because of Zimbabwe's terrible economic situation, the election was expected to be Mugabe's toughest challenge. Mugabe's opponents criticized how the election was handled. The government was accused of planning to rig the election. Human Rights Watch said the election would likely be "deeply flawed."

No official results were announced for over a month after the first round. The MDC strongly criticized this delay. An independent estimate put Tsvangirai in the lead, but without enough votes to avoid a second round. The MDC claimed Tsvangirai won outright and at first refused to take part in a second round. ZANU-PF said Mugabe would take part. They claimed some election officials had unfairly reduced Mugabe's score. A recount was done.

After the recount, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) announced on May 2 that Tsvangirai won 47.9% and Mugabe won 43.2%. This meant a run-off election was needed, to be held on June 27, 2008. Tsvangirai continued to claim he won the first round. He refused to participate in the second round. The time after the first round was marked by serious political violence, which ZANU-PF was blamed for. On June 22, 2008, Tsvangirai announced he was withdrawing from the run-off. He called it a "violent sham." The second round still went ahead with Mugabe as the only active candidate. Mugabe won by a huge margin and was sworn in again as president on June 29.

Many countries reacted to the second round. The United States and European Union countries called for more sanctions. On July 11, the United Nations Security Council voted to put sanctions on Zimbabwe, but Russia and China vetoed this. The African Union called for a "government of national unity."

Talks to set up official negotiations began on July 10. On July 22, the three party leaders met for the first time in Harare. They showed their support for a negotiated solution to the election problems. Negotiations officially began on July 25. They were mediated by South African President Thabo Mbeki.

On September 15, 2008, a power-sharing agreement was signed. Robert Mugabe would remain president. Morgan Tsvangirai would become prime minister. ZANU-PF and the MDC would share control of the police. Mugabe's ZANU-PF would command the Army. Arthur Mutambara became deputy prime minister.

Marange Diamond Fields Incident

In November 2008, the Air Force of Zimbabwe was sent to the Marange diamond fields. This happened after some police officers refused orders to shoot illegal miners. Up to 150 of the estimated 30,000 illegal miners were shot from helicopters. Some lawyers and politicians claimed that a military leader was behind these attacks. Estimates of the death toll by mid-December ranged from 83 to 140.

2009 to Present

2009–2017

In January 2009, Morgan Tsvangirai announced he would join a coalition government as prime minister with President Robert Mugabe. On February 11, 2009, Tsvangirai was sworn in. By 2009, inflation had reached 500 billion percent per year under Mugabe's government. The Zimbabwe currency was worthless.

The opposition shared power with Mugabe's government between 2009 and 2013. Zimbabwe started using the US dollar as its currency. The economy improved, growing by 10% per year.

In 2013, Mugabe's government won an election. The Economist magazine called it "rigged." The government then doubled the number of civil servants and engaged in "misrule and dazzling corruption." However, the United Nations, African Union, and SADC said the elections were free and fair.

By 2016, the economy had collapsed. Protests took place across the country. The finance minister admitted, "Right now we literally have nothing." The government introduced special 'bond notes' to try and fix the cash shortage. Cash became very scarce in 2017.

On November 15, 2017, the military placed President Mugabe under house arrest. They removed him from power. The military said the president was safe. Tanks were placed around government buildings in Harare. Many people in the capital supported Mugabe's removal. The Times newspaper reported that Emmerson Mnangagwa helped plan the coup. He had recently been fired by Mugabe, which was seen as a way to make room for Grace Mugabe to replace her husband. A Zimbabwean army officer said on television that the military was targeting "criminals" around President Mugabe, not removing the president himself. However, the head of the African Union called it a coup.

Robert Mugabe resigned on November 21, 2017. Second Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko became the Acting President. Former Vice-President and new ZANU-PF leader, Emmerson Mnangagwa, was sworn in as president on November 24, 2017.

2018–2019

General elections were held on July 30, 2018. People voted for the president and members of parliament. The ruling party, ZANU-PF, won most seats in parliament. President Emmerson Mnangagwa was declared the winner with 50.8% of the votes. The opposition accused the government of rigging the vote. During protests by MDC supporters, the army opened fire. Three people were killed, and three more died later from their injuries.

In January 2019, the price of fuel increased by 130%. Thousands of Zimbabweans protested. The government responded with a crackdown. This led to hundreds of arrests and several deaths.

In June 2019, former president Robert Mugabe died in Singapore at the age of 95.

Economic Statistics 2021 The economy of Zimbabwe was expected to grow by 3.9% in 2021. This was a big improvement after two years of decline.

2023 General Election

In August 2023, President Emmerson Mnangagwa won a second term in the election. The opposition rejected the outcome, and observers questioned the results.