Government and Politics of Zimbabwe

Government Type

parliamentary democracy

Administrative Divisions

8 provinces and 2 cities* with provincial status; Bulawayo*, Harare*, Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Masvingo, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, Midlands

Legal System

mixture of Roman-Dutch and English common law

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Zimbabwe; in the case of a child born out of wedlock, the mother must be a citizen dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Executive Branch

chief of state: Executive President Emmerson Dambudzo MNANGAGWA (since 24 November 2017); Vice President Constantino CHIWENGA (since 28 December 2017) and Vice President Kembo MOHADI (since 28 December 2017); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: Executive President Emmerson Dambudzo MNANGAGWA (since 24 November 2017); Vice President Constantino CHIWENGA (since 28 December 2017) and Vice President Kembo MOHADI (since 28 December 2017); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; responsible to the National Assembly elections: presidential candidates nominated with a nomination paper signed by registered voters and elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held on 23 August 2023 (next to be held in 2028); co-vice presidents appointed by the president election results: Emmerson MNANGAGWA reelected president in the August 2023 general election; percent of vote - Emmerson MNANGAGWA (ZANU-PF) 52.6%, Nelson CHAMISA (CCC) 44.0%, other 3.4%

Legislative Branch

Bicameral Parliament consists of a Senate (80 seats; 60 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote, 16 appointed by the president, and 18 reserved for chiefs; members serve five-year terms) and a National Assembly (280 seats; 210 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 60 seats reserved for women elected by proportional representation, and 10 seats reserved for youths elected by proportional representation; members serve five-year terms). Elections: National Assembly last held on 23–24 August 2023 (next to be held in 2028); Senate last held on 23–24 August 2023 (next to be held in 2028). Election results: National Assembly – percent of vote by party – ZANU-PF 54.9%, CCC 21.8%, other and independent 23.3%; seats by party – ZANU-PF 190, CCC 73, other 17. Senate – seats by party – ZANU-PF 57, CCC 21, other 2.

Judicial Branch

Supreme Court; High Court

Political Parties

Movement for Democratic Change or MDC [Morgan TSVANGIRAI]; United Parties [Abel MUZOREWA]; United People's Party [Daniel SHUMBA]; Zimbabwe African National Union-Ndonga or ZANU-Ndonga [Wilson KUMBULA]; Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front or ZANU-PF [Robert Gabriel MUGABE]; Zimbabwe African Peoples Union or ZAPU [Agrippa MADLELA]

Head of State

Executive President Emmerson Dambudzo MNANGAGWA

Head of Government

Executive President Emmerson Dambudzo MNANGAGWA

Cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president; responsible to the House of Assembly

Elections

National Assembly last held on 23–24 August 2023 (next to be held in 2028); Senate last held on 23–24 August 2023 (next to be held in 2028).

Election Results

National Assembly – percent of vote by party – ZANU-PF 54.9%, CCC 21.8%, other and independent 23.3%; seats by party – ZANU-PF 190, CCC 73, other 17. Senate – seats by party – ZANU-PF 57, CCC 21, other 2.

Constitution

21-Dec-79

Independence

18 April 1980 (from UK)

National Holiday

Independence Day, 18 April (1980)

International Organization Participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMIL, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic Representation in the U.S.

chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Machivenyika T. MAPURANGA chancery: 1608 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 332-7100 FAX: [1] (202) 483-9326

U.S. Diplomatic Representation

chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher W. DELL embassy: 172 Herbert Chitepo Avenue, Harare mailing address: P. O. Box 3340, Harare telephone: [263] (4) 250-593 and 250-594 FAX: [263] (4) 796488

Capital City

Harare

Location

17 49 S, 31 02 E

Time Difference

UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

History

named after a village of Harare at the site of the present capital; the village name derived from a Shona chieftain, NE-HARAWA, whose name meant "he who does not sleep"

U.S. Embassy Harare, Zimbabwe 172 Herbert Chitepo Avenue, Harare Telephone: (263)-4-250-593/4 Emergency, after-hours telephone: (263)-4-250-595 Fax: (263)-4-250-343.

Military Branches

Zimbabwe Defense Forces (ZDF): Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA), Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ)

Service Age and Obligation

18-24 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; women are eligible to serve