Politics
Category : Zimbabwe

1) Government

 

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
Ambassadors from Finland > Current Finnish Ambassadors > Ambassador Markku Kauppinen
Capital city Harare
Capital city > Geographic coordinates 17 50 S, 31 03 E
Capital city > Name Harare
Capital city > Time difference
UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Constitution 21 December 1979
Copyright > Reference s. 5,
Corruption 2.6 [108th of 160]
countries' copyright length > Usual term of copyright protection 50 pma
CPIA equity of public resource use rating 1.5 [75th of 75]
CPIA quality of public administration rating 2 [75th of 75]
Diplomatic representation from the US > Chief of mission Ambassador James D. MCGEE
Diplomatic representation from the US > Embassy
172 Herbert Chitepo Avenue, Harare
Diplomatic representation from the US > FAX
[263] (4) 796-488, or 722-618
Diplomatic representation from the US > Mailing address P. O. Box 3340, Harare
Diplomatic representation from the US > Telephone
[263] (4) 250-593 and 250-594
Diplomatic representation in the US > Chancery
1608 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
Diplomatic representation in the US > Chief of mission
Ambassador Marina Annette VALERE
Diplomatic representation in the US > FAX [1] (202) 483-9326
Diplomatic representation in the US > Telephone [1] (202) 332-7100
embassies and high commissions in Ottawa > Address 332 Somerset Street West
embassies and high commissions in Ottawa > Neighbourhood Centretown
Executive branch > Cabinet
Cabinet appointed by the president; responsible to the House of Assembly
Executive branch > Chief of state
Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987); Vice President Joseph MSIKA (since December 1999) and Vice President Joyce MUJURU (since 6 December 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Executive branch > Election results
Robert Gabriel MUGABE reelected president; percent of vote - Robert Gabriel MUGABE 85.5%, Morgan TSVANGIRAI 9.3%, other 5.2%; note - first round voting results - Morgan TSVANGIRAI 47.9%, Robert Gabriel MUGABE 43.2%, Simba MAKONI 8.3%, other 0.6%; first-round round polls were deemed to be flawed suppressing TSVANGIRAI's results; the 27 June 2008 run-off between MUGABE and TSVANGIRAI were severely flawed and internationally condemned
Executive branch > Elections
presidential candidates nominated with a nomination paper signed by at least 10 registered voters (at least one from each province) and elected by popular vote for a five-year term (no term limits); elections last held 28 March 2008 followed by a run-off on 27 June 2008 (next to be held in 2013); co-vice presidents appointed by the president
Executive branch > Head of government
Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987); Vice President Joseph MSIKA (since December 1999) and Vice President Joyce MUJURU (since 6 December 2004)
Flag description
seven equal horizontal bands of green, yellow, red, black, red, yellow, and green with a white isosceles triangle edged in black with its base on the hoist side; a yellow Zimbabwe bird representing the long history of the country is superimposed on a red five-pointed star in the center of the triangle, which symbolizes peace; green symbolizes agriculture, yellow - mineral wealth, red - blood shed to achieve independence, and black stands for the native people
Flag modification 18 [91st of 197]
Foreign relations > Nepal > Date of Establishment November 27, 1984
Foreign relations of Western Sahara > States recognizing the SADR > Date of recognition July 3, 1980
General government final consumption expenditure > annual % growth 6.36 % [29th of 147]
General government final consumption expenditure > constant 2000 US$ 806,054,500 constant 2000 US$ [83rd of 145]
General government final consumption expenditure > constant 2000 US$ (per capita) 61.959 constant 2000 US$ per c [89th of 146]
General government final consumption expenditure > constant LCU 4002404000
General government final consumption expenditure > current LCU 20095120000000
General government final consumption expenditure > current US$ 898,562,500 $ [101st of 169]
General government final consumption expenditure > current US$ (per $ GDP) 0.266 $ per $1 of GDP [11th of 184]
General government final consumption expenditure > current US$ (per capita) 69.07 $ per capita [118th of 184]
Government type parliamentary democracy
Heads of Missions from the United Kingdom Dr Andrew Pocock
Heads of Missions from the United Kingdom > Resident Heads of Missions > Type Embassy
Independence 18 April 1980 (from UK)
Independence Day > Date April 18
International organization participation
ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Judicial branch Supreme Court; High Court
Legal origin
English
Legal system
mixture of Roman-Dutch and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch
bicameral Parliament consists of a Senate (93 seats - 60 elected by popular vote for a five-year term, 10 provincial governors nominated by the president, 16 traditional chiefs elected by the Council of Chiefs, 2 held by the president and deputy president of the Council of Chiefs, and 5 appointed by the president) and a House of Assembly (210 seats - all elected by popular vote for five-year terms)
Legislative branch > Election results
Senate - percent of vote by party - MDC 51.6%, ZANU-PF 45.8%, other 2.6%; seats by party - MDC 30, ZANU-PF 30; House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - MDC 51.3%, ZANU-PF 45.8%, other 2.9%; seats by party - MDC 109, ZANU-PF 97, other 4
Legislative branch > Elections
last held 28 March 2008 (next to be held in 2013)
Mother of the Nation > Name Sally Mugabe (Amai)
National holiday
Independence Day, 18 April
Partners in Population and Development > Representatives > Name
H.E. Dr. David Parirenyatwa
Political parties and leaders
African National Party or ANP [Egypt DZINEMUNHENZVA]; Movement for Democratic Change or MDC [Morgan TSVANGIRAI, anti-Senate faction; Arthur MUTAMBARA, pro-Senate faction]; Peace Action is Freedom for All or PAFA; United Parties [Abel MUZOREWA]; United People's Party or UPP [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]; Zimbabwe Youth in Alliance or ZIYA
Political pressure groups and leaders
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition [Xolani ZITHA]; National Constitutional Assembly or NCA [Lovemore MADHUKU]; Women of Zimbabwe Arise or WOZA [Jenny WILLIAMS]; Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions or ZCTU [Wellington CHIBEBE]
Procedures to build a warehouse > number 21 [39th of 168]
Procedures to build a warehouse > number (per capita) 1.614 per 1 million people [104th of 170]
Procedures to enforce a contract > number 33 [84th of 170]
Procedures to enforce a contract > number (per capita) 2.537 per 1 million people [104th of 171]
Procedures to register property > number 4 [142nd of 167]
Procedures to register property > number (per capita) 307.467 per 1 billion people [119th of 167]
Proportion of seats held by women in national parliament > % 16 % [76th of 174]
Start-up procedures to register a business > number 10 [62nd of 171]
Start-up procedures to register a business > number (per capita) 0.769 per 1 million people [104th of 171]
Status pseudo-democracy
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Time required to build a warehouse > days 481 days [4th of 168]
Time required to enforce a contract > days 410 days [104th of 171]
Time required to register property > days 30 days [119th of 167]
Time required to start a business > days 96 days [14th of 171]
Time to prepare and pay taxes > hours 216 hours [97th of 169]
Time to resolve insolvency > years 3.3 years [61st of 151]
Total businesses registered > number 6,330,047 [2nd of 71]
Total businesses registered > number (per capita) 492.107 per 1 million people [1st of 83]
Trademarks, nonresidents 1,779 [57th of 99]
Trademarks, nonresidents (per capita) 148.103 per 1 million people [77th of 146]
Trademarks, residents 1 [72nd of 98]
Trademarks, residents (per capita) 0.079 per 1 million people [90th of 142]
Transnational Issues > Disputes > International
Botswana built electric fences and South Africa has placed military along the border to stem the flow of thousands of Zimbabweans fleeing to find work and escape political persecution; Namibia has supported, and in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections to, plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River, thereby de facto recognizing a short, but not clearly delimited, Botswana-Zambia boundary in the river
United Nations mission
http://www.gta.gov.zw/


 

SOURCES
All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008; Wikipedia: List of Ambassadors from Finland ; CIA World Factbook, 14 June, 2007 ; Wikipedia: List of countries' copyright length ; Transparency International; World Development Indicators database; Wikipedia: List of embassies and high commissions in Ottawa ; Flagspot; Wikipedia: Foreign relations of Nepal ; Wikipedia: Foreign relations of Western Sahara ; Wikipedia: Heads of Missions from the United Kingdom ; Wikipedia: Independence Day ; CIA World Factbook, 28 July 2005; Wikipedia: Mother of the Nation ; Wikipedia: Partners in Population and Development ; electionworld.org; Wisconsin High School Model United Nations.

ALTERNATIVE NAMES

Zimbabwe, Republic of Zimbabwe

Democracy
 

Bertelsmann Transformation Index > Management Index 2006 2 [114th of 118]
Bertelsmann Transformation Index > Status Index 2006 3.38 [105th of 119]
Bertelsmann Transformation Index>Political Transformation 3.97 [87th of 119]
Civil and political liberties 1.5 [99th of 140]
CPIA gender equality rating 2.5 [69th of 75]
CPIA policies for social inclusion/equity cluster average 2 [75th of 75]
CPIA property rights and rule-based governance rating 1 [75th of 75]
CPIA public sector management and institutions cluster average 2.1 [75th of 75]
CPIA transparency, accountability, and corruption in the public sector rating 1.5 [75th of 75]
Electoral system first-past-the-post
Electoral system type plurality
Female candidacy 1,978 [4th of 161]
Female ministers 13.6% [59th of 125]
Female parliamentarians 10% [90th of 157]
Female suffrage 1957
First female parliamentarian
1980 (elected and appointed)
Gender Parity Index in primary level enrolment 0.982472595402798 [89th of 183]
Homosexuality laws of the world > Homosexuality laws > Laws against homosexuality Male only
Presidential elections > Invalid votes 1.6% [38th of 61]
Presidential elections > Registered voter turnout 54.3% [77th of 86]
Presidential elections > Total vote 3,046,890 [36th of 87]
Presidential elections > Voter registration 5,607,800 [30th of 86]
Presidential elections > Voting age population 5,839,000 [36th of 91]
Presidential elections > Voting age population (per capita) 480.141 per 1,000 people [50th of 91]
Vote counting technology manual


 

SOURCES
Bertelsmann Transformation Index online, 2006; http://www.bertelsmann-transformation ... f/BTI_2006_Ranking_GB.pdf; Freedom House, Freedom in the World 2000-2001, New York: Freedom House, 2001; World Development Indicators database; No comment is being made on the state of democracy. Categorizations are based on the electoral law, or the last competitive election held; IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 1995. Women in Parliaments 1945-1995: A World Statistical Survey. Geneva and IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 2001. Correspondence on year women received the right to vote and to stand for election and year first woman was elected or appointed to parliament. March. Geneva; IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 2001. Correspondence on women in government at the ministerial level. March. Geneva; calculated on the basis of data on parliamentary seats from IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 2002. Parline Database. March 2002; IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 1995. Women in Parliaments 1945-1995: A World Statistical Survey. Geneva and IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 2001. Correspondence on year women received the right to vote and to stand for election and year first woman was elected or appointed to parliament. March. Geneva.; Source: Millennium Development Goals Database | United Nations Statistics Division; Wikipedia: Homosexuality laws of the world ; Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance 2003; Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance

ALTERNATIVE NAMES

Zimbabwe, Republic of Zimbabwe