Zimbabwe

Abstract

Zimbabwe's prospects appeared promising in 1980, as it gained independence after a long liberation war. Rising inflation and unemployment bred discontent in the 1990s and led in 1999 to the formation of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). The new party surprised many with its initial success, campaigning against a 2000 referendum that would have legalized the president's continued rule, made government officials immune from prosecution, and allowed the uncompensated seizure of white-owned land for redistribution to black farmers. The referendum failed, and the MDC won nearly half the seats in the 2000 parliamentary election. The government of President Robert Mugabe has since taken numerous, often undemocratic actions to bolster its power. President Mugabe's government has been seen in the past decade as autocratic and repressive by its critics, and its human rights record is poor. The government has suppressed freedom of speech and assembly, and many contend that the government has restricted access to food, already scarce, in opposition areas. The MDC, divided over how to respond, split into two factions in 2005, hampering its ability to challenge the ruling party. Reports of political violence rose sharply after Zimbabwe's March 2008 elections, when, for the first time since independence, Mugabe's party lost its majority in the National Assembly. Mugabe's re-election as president in the June runoff was viewed as illegitimate by the United States and the United Nations Secretary-General, among others. In September 2008, after several weeks of negotiations, Mugabe and MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai signed a power-sharing arrangement aimed at resolving the political standoff. As part of the deal, Tsvangirai became Prime Minister of a new coalition government in February 2009, and cabinet positions have been divided among the parties. Many observers are skeptical that the MDC will be able to implement major reforms through the arrangement, although there has been some initial progress. The cost of rebuilding the economy may be as high as $8 billion. Zimbabwe's economic output has decreased dramatically since 1998. Official inflation rose above 200,000,000% in 2008, and unemployment is estimated at more than 90%. The adult HIV prevalence rate of 15.3% has contributed to a sharp drop in life expectancy, and three-quarters of the population is expected to require food aid in early 2009. The country has yet to contain a cholera outbreak with over 90,000 infections and over 4,000 deaths. Deteriorating conditions have led many to emigrate to neighboring countries, creating a substantial burden on the region. Robert Mugabe has enjoyed considerable popularity in Africa as a former liberation leader, but some African leaders have viewed his policies as damaging to the continent and have urged democratic reforms. Following controversial elections in 2000 and citing abuses of human rights and the rule of law, the United States and some other former allies of the government became vocal critics. The United States has enforced targeted sanctions against top Zimbabwe officials and associates since 2002. This report provides background on events leading up to the country's most recent elections, in March and June 2008. For further discussion of those elections, the coalition government, and other current events, please see CRS Report RL34509, Zimbabwe: The Power Sharing Agreement and Implications for U.S. Policy, by Lauren Ploch.