President of Zimbabwe facts for kids

Quick facts for kids President of the Republic of Zimbabwe
Presidential Standard
Incumbent Emmerson Mnangagwa since 24 November 2017
Office of the President of Zimbabwe Executive branch of the Zimbabwean Government
Style	His Excellency (Formal, in international correspondence) Comrade President (Informal)
Residence	State House
Appointer	popular vote
Term length	5 years, renewable once
Inaugural holder	Canaan Banana
Formation	18 April 1980; 45 years ago (1980-04-18)
Deputy	Vice-President of Zimbabwe
Salary	US$200,000 annually (2014)

The President of Zimbabwe is the country's top leader. This person is both the head of state (the main representative of the country) and the head of government (the leader of the government). The president leads the national cabinet and is the commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, which are the country's armed forces.

The current president is Emmerson Mnangagwa. He took office on November 24, 2017. This happened after the previous president, Robert Mugabe, stepped down.

History of the President's Role

The role of president in Zimbabwe began in 1980. This was when Zimbabwe became an independent country from the United Kingdom. At first, the president's job was mostly ceremonial. This means they were a symbol of the country, but the real power was held by the prime minister. Robert Mugabe was the first prime minister.

Canaan Banana, a Methodist minister, became the first president. He served until 1987. In 1987, the country's Constitution was changed. This change made the president's role much more powerful. The job of prime minister was also removed. Robert Mugabe then became president. He was elected by the people in 1990 and won four more elections after that.

The role of Prime Minister was brought back for a short time between 2008 and 2013. It was then removed again. Since 2013, the president can serve a maximum of two five-year terms. This rule applies to presidents elected after 2013. No president has reached this two-term limit yet. The current president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, has said he will not try to serve a third term.

How Robert Mugabe Resigned in 2017

On November 14, 2017, soldiers from the Zimbabwe Defence Forces took control of the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation studios. A general named Sibusiso Moyo appeared on TV. He announced that the army was starting an operation. He said President Mugabe and his family would be safe. The army's goal was to target "criminals" around the president.

After this, the army took action against a group within the ruling ZANU-PF party. They also took control of the police and intelligence groups, which were loyal to the president. Some of their leaders were arrested.

On November 21, 2017, Robert Mugabe resigned as president. He was facing a process called impeachment from the country's parliament. Emmerson Mnangagwa, who had been a vice president, was sworn in as the new president on November 24, 2017.

Who Has Been President of Zimbabwe?

No.		President	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Party	Election
1		Banana, CanaanCanaan Banana (1936–2003)	18 April 1980	31 December 1987	7 years, 257 days	ZANU	–
2		Mugabe, RobertRobert Mugabe (1924–2019)	31 December 1987	21 November 2017	29 years, 325 days	ZANU–PF	1990 1996 2002 2008 2013
–		Mphoko, PhelekezelaPhelekezela Mphoko (1940–2024) Acting	21 November 2017	24 November 2017	3 days	ZANU–PF	–
3		Mnangagwa, EmmersonEmmerson Mnangagwa (born 1942)	24 November 2017	Incumbent	7 years, 212 days	ZANU–PF	2018 2023

Phelekezela Mphoko was a vice-president when Robert Mugabe resigned. He might have been the acting president for three days. However, he was not in the country at the time. Because of the unusual situation, it's not fully clear if he officially served as acting president.

How Long Have Presidents Served?

The Latest Election (2023)

In 2023, Emmerson Mnangagwa ran for president again. He was the candidate for the ZANU–PF party. The main opposition party, MDC-T, had a new leader, Nelson Chamisa. Chamisa ran as the candidate for the MDC Alliance.

Emmerson Mnangagwa won the election with 50.8% of the votes. Nelson Chamisa received 44.3%. This meant Mnangagwa was re-elected without needing a second round of voting. The MDC Alliance, however, disagreed with the election results.

See also

In Spanish: Presidente de Zimbabue para niños

• List of rulers of Zimbabwe
• Prime Minister of Zimbabwe
• Vice President of Zimbabwe
• President of Rhodesia
• President of Rhodesia Zimbabwe