State the political condition of Zimbabwe since its independence from 1980?

State the political condition of Zimbabwe since its independence from 1980?

Ans.

(i) Zimbabwe attained independence from White minority rule in 1980.

(ii) Since then the country has been ruled by ZANU-PF, the party that led the freedom struggle. Its leader, Robert Mugabe, has been ruling the countiy since independence.

(iii) Elections have been held regularly and always won by ZANU-PF. President Mugabe is popular but also uses unfair practices in elections.

(iv) Over the years his government has changed the constitution several times to increase the powers of the President and make him less accountable.

(v) Opposition party workers are harassed and their meeting disrupted.

(vi) Public protests and demonstrations against the government arc declared illegal.

(vii) There is a law that limits the right to criticise the President. Television and radio are controlled by the government and give only the ruling party’s version.

(viii) There are independent newspapers but the government harasses those journalists who go against it.

(be) The government has ignored some court judgments that went against it and has pressurised judges.