Zimbabwe

=== Politics ===
During the 1995 parliamentary elections most opposition parties, including the ZUM, boycotted the voting, resulting in a near sweep by the ruling party.<ref name="Frankel">{{Cite web|last=Frankel |first=Matthew |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-may-26-la-oe-frankel-burma-20100526-story.html |title=Myanmar boycott is misguided |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210223213933/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-may-26-la-oe-frankel-burma-20100526-story.html |archive-date=23 February 2021 |url-status=live |work=Los Angeles Times |date=26 May 2010}}</ref> When the opposition returned to the polls in 2000, they won 57 seats, only five fewer than ZANU-PF.<ref name="Frankel" /> [[2002 Zimbabwean presidential election|Presidential elections were again held in 2002]] amid allegations of vote-rigging, intimidation and fraud.<ref name="allegations">[https://web.archive.org/web/20140104021201/http://www.africa.upenn.edu/afrfocus/afrfocus041805.html Zimbabwe: Election Fraud Report, 04/18/05]. [[University of Pennsylvania]], 18 April 2005.</ref> The [[2005 Zimbabwean parliamentary election|2005 Zimbabwe parliamentary elections]] were held on 31 March, and multiple claims of vote rigging, election fraud and intimidation were made by the [[Movement for Democratic Change (1999–2005)|Movement for Democratic Change]] party and [[Jonathan Moyo]], calling for investigations into 32 of the 120 constituencies.<ref name="moyo">[http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=84&art_id=qw111061602454B251 "Mugabe's former ally accuses him of foul play"], ''Independent Online Zimbabwe'', 12 March 2005.</ref> Moyo participated in the elections despite the allegations and won a seat as an independent member of Parliament.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Makgetlaneng |first=Sehlare |title=ZIMBABWE'S 2005 PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS: Lessons for the Movement for Democratic Change |url=https://www.eisa.org/pdf/JAE4.2Makgetlaneng.pdf |journal=Africa Institute of South Africa |pages=124}}</ref>

[[File:Election campaign March 2005.jpg|thumb|Supporters of the [[Movement for Democratic Change (prior to 2005)|Movement for Democratic Change]] in 2005]]In 2005, the MDC split into two factions: the Movement for Democratic Change – Mutambara ([[MDC-M]]), led by [[Arthur Mutambara]] which contested the elections to the Senate, and the [[Movement for Democratic Change – Tsvangirai]] (MDC-T) led by [[Morgan Tsvangirai]] which was opposed to contesting the elections, stating that participation in a rigged election is tantamount to endorsing Mugabe's claim that past elections were free and fair. The two MDC camps had their congresses in 2006 with Tsvangirai being elected to lead MDC-T, which became more popular than the other group.<ref name="findarticles1">{{cite news |author=Latham, Brian |date=4 March 2002 |title=Contrast in styles as contenders hold rallies in Harare townships |work=The Independent |location=UK |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1660337.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131229132808/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1660337.html |archive-date=29 December 2013}}</ref>

In the [[2008 Zimbabwean general election|2008 general election]], the official results required a run-off between Mugabe and Tsvangirai. The MDC-T challenged these results, claiming widespread election fraud by the Mugabe government.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/03/27/zimbabwe.election|title=Mugabe critics predict fraud in Zimbabwe elections|date=28 March 2008|publisher=CNN}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7322468.stm|title=Zimbabwe stands 'on a precipice'|work=BBC News|date=31 March 2008|access-date=6 June 2012}}</ref> The run-off was scheduled for 27 June 2008. On 22 June, citing the continuing unfairness of the process and refusing to participate in a "violent, illegitimate sham of an election process", Tsvangirai pulled out of the presidential run-off, the election commission held the run-off, and President Mugabe received a landslide majority.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7467990.stm|title=Mugabe rival quits election race|work=BBC News|date=22 June 2008}}</ref> The MDC-T did not participate in the Senate elections, while the MDC-M won five seats in the Senate. The MDC-M was weakened by defections from members of parliament and individuals who were disillusioned by their manifesto.<ref name="findarticles1"/> On 28 April 2008, Tsvangirai and Mutambara announced at a joint news conference in [[Johannesburg]] that the two MDC formations were co-operating, enabling the MDC to have a clear parliamentary majority.<ref name="SABCre">{{cite web|url=http://www.sabcnews.com/africa/southern_africa/0,2172,168544,00.html |title=Zimbabwe's MDC factions reunite |access-date=13 February 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080502155226/http://www.sabcnews.com/africa/southern_africa/0%2C2172%2C168544%2C00.html |archive-date= 2 May 2008 }}, SABC News, 28 April 2008.</ref><ref name="Reunites">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7371823.stm|title=Opposition reunites in Zimbabwe|work=BBC News|date=28 April 2008|access-date=6 June 2012}}</ref> Tsvangirai said that Mugabe could not remain president without a parliamentary majority.<ref name="Reunites" />

In mid-September 2008, after protracted negotiations overseen by the leaders of South Africa and Mozambique, Mugabe and Tsvangirai signed a power-sharing deal in which Mugabe retained control over the army. Donor nations adopted a 'wait-and-see' attitude, wanting to see real change being brought about by this merger before committing themselves to funding rebuilding efforts, which were estimated to take at least five years. On 11 February 2009 Tsvangirai was sworn in as prime minister by Mugabe.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Services|first=Msnbc com News|date=2009-02-11|title=Tsvangirai sworn in as Zimbabwe's PM|url=http://www.nbcnews.com/id/29134750/ns/world_news-africa/t/tsvangirai-sworn-zimbabwes-pm/|access-date=2020-07-10|website=msnbc.com|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Tsvangirai sworn in as Zimbabwe PM - CNN.com|url=http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/africa/02/11/zimbabwe/|access-date=2020-07-10|website=www.cnn.com}}</ref>

[[File:Mnangagwa and Putin met during sidelines Russia-Africa Summit, 27 July 2023.jpg|thumb|Zimbabwean President [[Emmerson Mnangagwa]] and Russian President [[Vladimir Putin]] at the [[2023 Russia–Africa Summit]] on 27 July 2023]]
In November 2008, the government of Zimbabwe spent US$7.3 million donated by [[The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria]]. A representative of the organisation declined to speculate on how the money was spent, except that it was not for the intended purpose, and the government has failed to honour requests to return the money.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/03/world/africa/03zimbabwe.html?_r=1&oref=slogin|title=Aid Group Says Zimbabwe Misused $7.3 Million|work=The New York Times|date=3 November 2008|first=Celia W.|last=Dugger}}</ref>

The status of Zimbabwe politics has been thrown into question by a coup taking place in November 2017, ending Mugabe's 30 year presidential incumbency. Emmerson Mnangagwa was appointed president following this coup and was officially elected with 50.8% of the vote in the [[2018 Zimbabwean general election]], avoiding a run-off and making him the third president of Zimbabwe.

The government has received negative comments among its citizens for always shutting down the internet in the past amid protests such as the one planned on 31 July 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Shiangala|first=Mike|date=2020-07-31|title=Zimbabwe to allegedly shutdown the Internet on 31st July|url=https://smattgeeksmedia.com/news/zimbabwe-to-allegedly-shutdown-the-internet-on-31st-july/|access-date=2020-07-31|website=Smatt Geeks Media|language=en-US|archive-date=10 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200810180309/https://smattgeeksmedia.com/news/zimbabwe-to-allegedly-shutdown-the-internet-on-31st-july/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In July 2023, Zimbabwean President [[Emmerson Mnangagwa]] voiced support for the [[Russian invasion of Ukraine]].<ref>{{cite news |date=28 July 2023 |title=Zimbabwe and Uganda leaders meet with Russian President Putin |work=Africanews |url=https://www.africanews.com/2023/07/28/zimbabwe-and-uganda-leaders-meet-with-russian-president-putin/}}</ref>