Download Zimbabwe – A case study of political turmoil

Zimbabwe – A case study of political turmoil
Zimbabwe was formerly the British colony Rhodesia. For many years it was one of the most
successful economies in Africa. It was a major tobacco producer and a potential breadbasket
for surrounding countries.
President Mugabe was the first and only prime minister of Zimbabwe since it gained
independence in 1980.
Under the control of president of Mugabe the country has seen the forced seizure of almost
all white-owned commercial farms, with the stated aim of benefiting landless black
Zimbabweans, led to sharp falls in production and precipitated the collapse of the agriculturebased economy. The country has endured rampant inflation and critical food and fuel
shortages.
Many Zimbabweans survive on grain handouts. Others have voted with their feet; hundreds of
thousands of Zimbabweans, including much-needed professionals, have emigrated.
Aid agencies and critics partly blame food shortages on the land reform programme. The
government blames a long-running drought, and Mr Mugabe has accused Britain and its allies
of sabotaging the economy in revenge for the redistribution programme.
Mr Mugabe was declared the winner of the 2002 presidential elections, considered seriously
flawed by the opposition and foreign observers. He received a boost in 2005 when Zanu-PF
won more than two-thirds of the votes in parliamentary elections, said by the MDC to be
fraudulent.
The size of the win enabled the president to change the constitution, paving the way for the
creation of an upper house of parliament, the Senate.
Ideologically, Mr Mugabe belongs to the African liberationist tradition of the 1960s - strong
and ruthless leadership, anti-Western, suspicious of capitalism and deeply intolerant of
dissent and opposition.
His economic policies are widely seen as being geared to short-term political expediency and
the maintenance of power for himself. Mr Mugabe has defended his land reform programme,
saying the issue is the "core social question of our time".
Copy and complete the table
Country: Zimbabwe
GDP PER CAPITA: £2100
Continent:
Life expectancy: 39.5 years
HDI: 0.491
Natural Hazards: recurring droughts
President:
Time in Power:
Effects of political turmoil: