Once under British rule, Zimbabwe has been an independent nation since 1980. As the country has transitioned into independence, it has experienced significant political unrest and big administrative changes. The Constitution allows for majority rule while protecting minority rights. It has been amended several times. The last Constitutional Referendum took place in 2013. Its major changes included: limiting the President to two 5-year terms, eliminating presidential veto power, and establishing several commissions.
Government of Zimbabwe
Today, the government works as a presidential republic. Under this system, the President, elected by the public, is the head of the state and the executive branch of the government. Regionally, Zimbabwe is divided into 8 provinces. A presidentially-appointed Governor administers each province with the help of provincial administrators and ministries. These provinces are divided into 63 districts. The nation’s Parliament holds legislative and rule-making power. Additionally, the country has a judicial branch for matters of the court. These three branches are discussed below.
Legislative Branch
The legislative body of the government of Zimbabwe is held by Parliament. Parliament consists of 120 seats, which are elected by the public. Other individuals also hold seats in this Assembly, although they are appointed. The appointed positions include 12 presidential appointments, 8 provincial governors, the Speaker, and the Attorney General. Ten tribes are also represented in Parliament by their Chiefs. Each parliamentary member may serve for a 5-year term.
Executive Branch
The President of the country is the head of the executive branch of government. The President and Vice President take their positions based on majority public vote. As previously mentioned, the term for the Presidency is 5-years for a maximum of 2 times. Previously, a president could serve an unlimited number of 6-year terms. Robert Mugabe served as president of Zimbabwe from 1987 to 2017, having been elected in 1990, 1996, 2002, 2008, and 2013. In November 2017, the 93-year-old president resigned, and Emmerson Mnangagwa was sworn in as the third president of Zimbabwe. The President has the responsibility of appointing Cabinet members. These Ministers manage and administer various public offices according to the decisions taken by the legislative branch. It is their job to carry out the actions of government.