Government & Law

Country Name:

• Conventional long form: Republic of Zimbabwe
• Conventional short form: Zimbabwe
• Former: Southern Rhodesia and Rhodesia

Type of Government:
Parliamentary democracy
Capital:
Harare
Second Capital:
Bulawayo
Geographic coordinates:
17 49 S, 31 02 E
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
Independence from Britain:
18 April 1980 (from the UK)
National Holidays:

• New Year- 1st January
• Easter- (Good Friday – Easter Monday)
• Independence day- 18th April
• Workers day- 1st May
• Africa day- 25th May
• Heroes day-11th August
• Defence forces day-12th August
• Unity day- 22nd December
• Christmas-25th December

Constitution:
Previous 1965 (at Rhodesian independence), 1979 (Lancaster House Agreement), 1980 (at Zimbabwean independence); latest final draft completed January 2013, approved by referendum on 16 March 2013, approved by Parliament on 9 May 2013; amended many times in 2013;  a few more significant amendments in 2015.
Legal System:
Mixed legal system of English common law, Roman-Dutch civil law, and customary law
Citizenship:

• Birthright citizenship
• Dual citizenship is not recognized
• Residency required for naturalization

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive Branch of Government:
Head of State, Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces:
President Robert Gabriel Mugabe has been the executive President since 1st January 1988 and he was recently re-elected for a five year term in the 2013 harmonised elections .
Vice Presidents:

• Emmerson Dambudzo Mnagwagwa
• Phelekezela Mphoko(both since 12 December 2014)

Cabinet:
The Executive President heads a Government of which he is the Chairman of the Cabinet of senior Ministers and Ministers. The Cabinet Ministers are effectively his nominees from structures within the ruling party . The Cabinet decides on policy and prepares legislation to be considered by the Parliament of Zimbabwe.

Cabinet operates through Ministers and each minister is in charge of a ministerial portfolio . The President has the overall prerogative over ministries . Changes of Ministers are made in reshuffles . The Cabinet currently comprises of 38 ministries
Legislature:
The legislative body is a bicameral Parliament, which consists of an upper house , the Senate, and a lower house , the House of Assembly. The national assembly members are chosen by universal adult suffrage:
Senate:
The Senate consists of 80 members, whereby 60 members are directly elected in multi-seat constituencies-6 seats in each of the countries provinces. 16 members are indirectly elected by the regional governing councils, 2 reserved for the National Council of Chiefs and 2 reserved for members with disabilities. Members of the Senate serve 5 year terms.The leader of the Senate is the President of the Senate . The current President of the Senate is Dr Edna Madzongwe. The Senates main role is that , as guardian of the declaration of rights, the Senate ensures that a Bill is consistent with these rights to facilitate this, it has a Senate legal committee to study bills and to report to the Senate. Although the Senate cannot prevent a Bill from becoming an Act, it can delay its passage.
House of Assembly:
The House of Assembly consists of 270 seats, whereby 210 members are directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 60 seats reserved for women directly elected by proportional representation vote. Members of the house serve for five years. The current speaker of the House is Honorable Advocate Jacob Francis Mudenda.

The last general elections were held on 31 July 2013 the next will be held in 2018.
Judiciary:
The highest court of the land is the Supreme Court which consists of the Chief Justice, and 4 judges.

Supreme Court judges are appointed by the President upon recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission, an independent body consisting of the Chief Justice, Public Service Commission Chairman, Attorney General, and 2-3 members appointed by the president; judges normally serve until age 65 but can elect to serve until age 70Other subordinate courts are High Court, Regional Magistrate courts, and Special Courts

Political parties and their leaders:

• Freedom Party -Cosmas Mponda
• Movement for Democratic Change – Ncube or MDC-N- Welshman Ncube
• Movement for Democratic Change – Renewal or MDC-R -Tendai Biti
• Movement for Democratic Change – Tsvangirai or MDC-T- Morgan TSVANGIRAI
• Transform Zimbabwe or TZ -Jacob Ngarivhume
• United Parties-Abel Muzorehwa
• Zimbabwe African National Union-Ndonga or ZANU-Ndonga
• Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front or ZANU-PF -Robert Gabriel Mugabe
• Zimbabwe African Peoples Union or ZAPU-Dumiso Dabengwa
• Zimbabwe People First- Joice Mujuru
• Peoples Democratic Party- Tendai Biti