Zimbabwe

===Independence era (1980–present)===
[[File:Zimbabwe, Trends in the Human Development Index 1970-2010.png|thumb|upright=1.6|Trends in Zimbabwe's [[Multidimensional Poverty Index]], {{Nowrap|1970–2010}}]]
[[President of Zimbabwe|Zimbabwe's first president]] after its independence was [[Canaan Banana]] in what was originally a mainly ceremonial role as [[head of state]]. Mugabe was the country's first prime minister and head of government.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Godwin |first1=Peter |last2=Hancock |first2=Ian |date=1995 |orig-year=1993 |title='Rhodesians Never Die': The Impact of War and Political Change on White Rhodesia, c. 1970–1980<!-- single quotes are part of the title--> |location=Harare |publisher=Baobab Books |page=312 |isbn=978-0-908311-82-8 |author-link1=Peter Godwin |author-link2=Ian Hancock }}</ref> In 1980, [[Samora Machel]] told Mugabe that Zimbabwe was the "Jewel of Africa" but added: "Don't tarnish it!".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/11/15/robert-mugabe-tarnished-jewel-zimbabwe-now-chance-shine/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/11/15/robert-mugabe-tarnished-jewel-zimbabwe-now-chance-shine/ |archive-date=10 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Robert Mugabe tarnished the jewel that is Zimbabwe. Now is its chance to shine again|first=Boris|last=Johnson|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=15 November 2017|via=www.telegraph.co.uk}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.nybooks.com/articles/2003/04/10/the-jewel-of-africa/|title=The Jewel of Africa|first=Doris|last=Lessing|date=10 April 2003|magazine=[[The New York Review of Books]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/zimbabwe-economy-battered-over-the-years/2724325.html|title=What Happened to Zimbabwe, Once Known as The Jewel of Africa?|first=Irwin|last=Chifera|date=17 April 2015 }}</ref>

New names for 32 places were gazetted on 18 April 1982<ref>{{cite web| url=https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/ADA135022.pdf| title= Zimbabwe: A country study| series= Area Handbook Series| editor-first= Harold D. |editor-last= Nelson| date=August 1982|publisher = United States Government| quote=Rev. ed. of: Area handbook for Southern Rhodesia. 1975| page=xvii}}</ref> and by February 1984, there had been 42 changes, which included three rivers (Umniati/[[Munyati River|Munyati]]; Lundi/[[Runde River|Runde]]; Nuanetsi/[[Mwenezi River|Mwenezi]]), and several changes from colonial names (such as Salisbury/Harare; Enkeldoorn/[[Chivhu]]; Essexvale/[[Esigodini]]; Fort Victoria/[[Masvingo]])<ref>{{cite journal| url=https://journals.co.za/doi/pdf/10.10520/AJA02562804_270| journal=[[Africa Insight]]| title=Urban change in Zimbabwe|first=Hywel |last=Davies| volume= 14| issue= 3|date= 1984| page=163}}</ref>

Opposition to what was perceived as a Shona takeover immediately erupted around Matabeleland. The Matabele unrest led to what has become known as ''[[Gukurahundi]]'' (Shona: 'the early rain which washes away the [[chaff]] before the spring rains').<ref name="watch">Nyarota, Geoffrey (2006). ''Against the Grain'', Zebra, p. 134; {{ISBN|1770071121}}.</ref> The [[5th Brigade (Zimbabwe)|Fifth Brigade]], a North Korean-trained elite unit that reported directly to Mugabe,<ref name="meredith6273" /> entered Matabeleland and massacred thousands of civilians accused of supporting "dissidents".<ref name="meredith6273">{{cite book|title=Mugabe: Power, Plunder and the Struggle for Zimbabwe|last=Meredith|first=Martin|author-link=Martin Meredith|date=September 2007|orig-year=2002|location=New York|publisher=[[Perseus Books Group|PublicAffairs]]|isbn=978-1-58648-558-0|pages=[https://archive.org/details/mugabepowerplund00mere/page/62 62–73]|url=https://archive.org/details/mugabepowerplund00mere/page/62}}</ref><ref name="hill77">{{cite book|title=The Battle for Zimbabwe: The Final Countdown |last= Hill |first=Geoff |location=Johannesburg |publisher=Struik Publishers|year=2005|orig-year=2003|isbn=978-1-86872-652-3|page=77}}</ref> Estimates for the number of deaths during the five-year ''Gukurahundi'' campaign ranged from 3,750<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.rhodesia.nl/Matabeleland%20Report.pdf|title =Report on the 1980s disturbances in Matabeleland and the Midlands, by the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace in Zimbabwe, March 1997 – Conclusion – FINAL ESTIMATE: The figure for the dead and missing is not less than 3000. This statement is now beyond reasonable doubt. Adding up the conservative suggestions made above, the figure is reasonably certainly 3750 dead. More than that it is still not possible to say, except to allow that the real figure for the dead could be possibly double 3000, or even higher. Only further research will resolve the issue.}}</ref> to 80,000.<ref name="hill77" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newzimbabwe.com/news-17562-Gukurahundi%20killed%2080,000%20Eddie%20Cross/news.aspx|title=Gukurahundi killed 80,000: Eddie Cross|access-date=11 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161112015104/http://www.newzimbabwe.com/news-17562-Gukurahundi%20killed%2080,000%20Eddie%20Cross/news.aspx|archive-date=12 November 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> Thousands of others were tortured in military internment camps.<ref name="catholiccommission">{{cite web|url= https://archive.org/details/BreakingTheSilenceBuildingTruePeace|title=Breaking the Silence, Building True Peace|last1=Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace in Zimbabwe|last2=Legal Resources Foundation|date=1 January 1997|via=Internet Archive}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://archive.org/details/BreakingTheSilenceBuildingTruePeace|title=Report on the 1980s Disturbances in Matabeleland & the Midlands |publisher= [[Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace in Zimbabwe]]|date=March 1997|access-date=8 August 2015}}</ref> The campaign officially ended in 1987 after Nkomo and Mugabe reached a unity agreement that merged their respective parties, creating the Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front ([[ZANU–PF]]).<ref name="meredith6273" /><ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.badley.info/history/ZANU-PF-Zimbabwe.event.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081123124818/http://www.badley.info/history/ZANU-PF-Zimbabwe.event.html|archive-date=23 November 2008 | title= Chronology of Zimbabwe |publisher=badley.info|access-date=9 December 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/country_profiles/1831470.stm|title=Timeline: Zimbabwe|work=BBC News|access-date=9 December 2008 |date=15 October 2009}}</ref> [[1990 Zimbabwean general election|Elections in March 1990]] resulted in another victory for Mugabe and the ZANU–PF party, which claimed 117 of the 120 contested seats.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eisa.org.za/WEP/zim1990election.htm|title=Zimbabwe: 1990 General Elections|access-date=9 December 2008 |publisher=EISA |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081205015007/http://www.eisa.org.za/WEP/zim1990election.htm|archive-date=5 December 2008 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.uz.ac.zw/publications/books/pol.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090902092508/http://www.uz.ac.zw/publications/books/pol.html|archive-date=2 September 2009 |title=Voting for Democracy: A Study of Electoral Politics in Zimbabwe|last=Moyo |first=Jonathon N. |publisher=University of Zimbabwe |access-date=9 December 2008}}</ref>

During the 1990s, students, trade unionists, and other workers often demonstrated to express their growing discontent with Mugabe and ZANU–PF party policies. In 1996, civil servants, nurses, and junior doctors went on strike over salary issues.<ref name="l">{{cite news|url=http://africanhistory.about.com/od/zimbabwe/p/ZimbabweHist3.htm|title=A Brief History of Zimbabwe|publisher=about.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080108142024/http://africanhistory.about.com/od/zimbabwe/p/ZimbabweHist3.htm|archive-date=8 January 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.eisa.org.za/WEP/zimoverview5.htm |title=Zimbabwe: ZANU PF hegemony and its breakdown (1990–1999)|publisher=EISA|access-date=9 December 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081205012226/http://www.eisa.org.za/WEP/zimoverview5.htm|archive-date=5 December 2008 }}</ref> The general health of the population also began to significantly decline; by 1997 an estimated 25% of the population had been infected by HIV in a pandemic that was affecting most of southern Africa.<ref name="k">{{cite news |url= http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/world/A0862066.html|title=History of Zimbabwe|work=infoplease.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.avert.org/history-hiv-aids-africa.htm|title=History of HIV & AIDS in Africa|work=[[AVERT]]|date=20 July 2015|access-date=8 August 2015}}</ref> Land redistribution re-emerged as the main issue for the ZANU–PF government around 1997. Despite the existence of a "willing-buyer-willing-seller" land reform programme since the 1980s, the minority white Zimbabwean population of around 0.6% continued to hold 70% of the country's most fertile agricultural land.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/692638.stm |title=Britain's troubles with Mugabe|work=BBC News|date=3 April 2000}}</ref>

In 2000, the government pressed ahead with its [[Land reform in Zimbabwe#Fast-track land reform and violence|Fast Track Land Reform]] programme, a policy involving compulsory land acquisition aimed at redistributing land from the minority white population to the majority black population.<ref name="humanrightswatcha">{{cite web|url=https://www.hrw.org/reports/2002/zimbabwe/ZimLand0302.pdf|title= Fast Track Land Reform in Zimbabwe|publisher= [[Human Rights Watch]]}}&nbsp;{{small|(175&nbsp;KB)}}</ref> Confiscations of white farmland, continuous droughts, and a serious drop in external finance and other support led to a sharp decline in agricultural exports, which were traditionally the country's leading export-producing sector.<ref name="humanrightswatcha"/> Some 58,000 independent black farmers have since experienced limited success in reviving the gutted cash crop sectors through efforts on a smaller scale.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/21/world/africa/in-zimbabwe-land-takeover-a-golden-lining.html?pagewanted=all|title=In Zimbabwe Land Takeover, a Golden Lining|work=The New York Times|date=20 July 2012|access-date=21 July 2012|author=Polgreen, Lydia}}</ref>

President Mugabe and the ZANU–PF party leadership found themselves beset by a wide range of international sanctions.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://register.consilium.europa.eu/pdf/en/09/st05/st05304-ad01re01.en09.pdf|title=Council Common Position renewing restrictive measures against Zimbabwe |work=Council of the European Union|date=26 January 2009}}</ref> In 2002, the nation was suspended from the [[Commonwealth of Nations]] due to the reckless farm seizures and blatant [[Electoral fraud|election tampering]].<ref name="tampering">{{cite web |url=http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/media/2003_alerts/1208.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070629145037/http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/media/2003_alerts/1208.htm |archive-date=29 June 2007 |title=Zimbabwe Suspended Indefinitely from Commonwealth|publisher=[[Human Rights First]]|date=8 December 2003|url-status=dead}}</ref> The following year, Zimbabwean officials voluntarily terminated its Commonwealth membership.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.thecommonwealth.org/press/31555/34582/35505/zimbabwes_withdrawal_from_the_commonwealth.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080705162909/http://www.thecommonwealth.org/press/31555/34582/35505/zimbabwes_withdrawal_from_the_commonwealth.htm|archive-date=5 July 2008 |title=Commonwealth website confirms Zimbabwe "terminated" its membership with effect from 7 December 2003 |publisher=Thecommonwealth.org|date=12 December 2003}}</ref>  In 2001, the United States enacted the [[Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act of 2001|Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act]] (ZDERA).  It came into effect in 2002 and froze credit to the Zimbabwean government.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/107/s494/text|title=Text of S. 494 (107th): Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act of 2001 (Passed Congress/Enrolled Bill version)|date=12 December 2001|publisher=[[GovTrack]]|access-date=29 December 2016}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>

By 2003, the country's economy had collapsed. It is estimated that up to a quarter of Zimbabwe's 11 million people had fled the country. Three-quarters of the remaining Zimbabweans were living on less than one U.S. dollar a day.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.radionetherlandsarchives.org/searching-for-fuel-and-other-tales-from-zimbabwe/|title=Searching for fuel and other tales from Zimbabwe|date=1 October 2003}}</ref> Following [[Zimbabwean parliamentary election, 2005|elections in 2005]], the government initiated "[[Operation Murambatsvina]]", an effort to crack down on illegal markets and slums emerging in towns and cities, leaving a substantial section of urban poor homeless.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4188702.stm|title=Zimbabwe destruction: One man's story|date=30 August 2005 |publisher=BBC|access-date=19 December 2008}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.radionetherlandsarchives.org/driving-out-the-filth-in-zimbabwe/|title=Driving out the filth in Zimbabwe|date=31 January 2007}}</ref> The Zimbabwean government has described the operation as an attempt to provide decent housing to the population, although according to critics such as [[Amnesty International]], authorities have yet to properly substantiate their claims.<ref name="muram">{{cite web|url=http://news.amnesty.org/index/ENGAFR460152006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061010190256/http://news.amnesty.org/index/ENGAFR460152006|archive-date=10 October 2006 |title=Zimbabwe: Housing policy built on foundation of failures and lies – Amnesty International|date=9 August 2006 |access-date=30 December 2013}}</ref>

[[File:Food insecurity in Zimbabwe.svg|thumb|Map showing the food insecurity in Zimbabwe in June 2008]]

On 29 March 2008, Zimbabwe held a [[Zimbabwean presidential election, 2008|presidential election]] along with a [[Zimbabwean parliamentary election, 2008|parliamentary election]]. The results of this election were withheld for two weeks, after which it was generally acknowledged that the [[Movement for Democratic Change – Tsvangirai]] (MDC-T) had achieved a majority of one seat in the lower house of parliament.<ref>{{cite web |author1=Kenneth Ingham |author2=Clyde William Sanger |author3=Kenneth Bradley |title=Zimbabwe - 2008 elections and aftermath &#124; Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Zimbabwe/2008-elections-and-aftermath |publisher=Encyclopedia Britannica |access-date=15 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230116000541/https://www.britannica.com/place/Zimbabwe/2008-elections-and-aftermath |archive-date=16 January 2023}}</ref> In September 2008, a [[2008–2009 Zimbabwean political negotiations|power-sharing agreement]] was reached between Tsvangirai and President Mugabe, permitting the former to hold the office of prime minister. Due to ministerial differences between their respective political parties, the agreement was not fully implemented until 13 February 2009. By December 2010, Mugabe was threatening to completely expropriate remaining privately owned companies in Zimbabwe unless "western sanctions" were lifted.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2010/12/18/Mugabe-wants-sanctions-removed/UPI-84591292686762|title=Mugabe wants sanctions removed|work=United Press International|date=18 December 2010|access-date=21 August 2011}}</ref>
[[File:Mugabe - Flickr - Al Jazeera English.jpg|thumb|Zimbabwean President [[Robert Mugabe]] attending the Independence Day celebrations in South Sudan in July 2011.]]
In late 2008, problems in Zimbabwe reached crisis proportions in the areas of living standards, public health (with a major [[Zimbabwean cholera outbreak|cholera outbreak]] in December) and various basic affairs.<ref name="Carter">{{cite news|url= http://www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_wires/2008Nov24/0,4675,AFZimbabwe,00.html|date=24 November 2008|title=Carter warns situation appears dire in Zimbabwe|author=Jacobson, Celean|agency=Associated Press|work=Fox News}}</ref> During this period, NGOs took over from government as a primary provider of food during this period of food insecurity in Zimbabwe.<ref>{{Cite thesis|last=Ndlovu|first=Nompilo|date=2009|title=A case study of Non-Governmental Organisations' (NGOS) responses to food insecurity in Matabeleland, Zimbabwe|publisher=University of Cape Town|type=MSocSc|url=https://open.uct.ac.za/handle/11427/8951|access-date=23 February 2019|archive-date=24 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190224001712/https://open.uct.ac.za/handle/11427/8951|url-status=dead}}</ref> A 2011 survey by [[Freedom House]] suggested that living conditions had improved since the power-sharing agreement.<ref>{{cite report|url=http://www.kubatana.net/docs/demgg/fh_changing_perceptions_political%20_110304.pdf|publisher=[[Freedom House]]|author=Booysen, Susan|date=4 March 2011|access-date=16 February 2012|title=Changing Perceptions in Zimbabwe – Nationwide Survey of the Political Climate in Zimbabwe November 2010 – January 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121212043124/http://www.kubatana.net/docs/demgg/fh_changing_perceptions_political%20_110304.pdf|archive-date=12 December 2012}}</ref> The United Nations [[Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs]] stated in its 2012–2013 planning document that the "humanitarian situation has improved in Zimbabwe since 2009, but conditions remain precarious for many people".<ref>{{cite report|title=OCHA in 2012–2013: Plan and Budget: Zimbabwe|publisher=United Nations [[Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs]]|url=http://www.unocha.org/ocha2012-13/zimbabwe|date=December 2011|access-date=16 February 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120130200054/http://www.unocha.org/ocha2012-13/zimbabwe |archive-date=30 January 2012}}</ref>

A new constitution approved in the [[Zimbabwean constitutional referendum, 2013]] curtails presidential powers.<ref>{{cite news|title=Zimbabweans start voting to adopt new constitution|url=https://www.reuters.com-archive-classified.eu/article/2013/03/16/us-zimbabwe-referendum-idUSBRE92F03G20130316|work=Reuters|access-date=16 March 2013|author=Dzirutwe, MacDonald |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130927163223/http://www.undp.org.zw/component/docman/doc_download/230-zimbabwe-poverty-report-2011-april-17-2013 |archive-date=27 September 2013}}</ref> Mugabe was re-elected president in the July 2013 [[2013 Zimbabwean general election|Zimbabwean general election]] which ''[[The Economist]]'' described as "rigged"<ref name =Economist072016>{{Cite news|url=https://www.economist.com/news/middle-east-and-africa/21701779-imf-ready-throw-mugabe-regime-lifeline-bad-idea-bailing-out|title=Bailing out bandits|date=9 July 2016|newspaper=The Economist|issue=8997|volume=420|pages=43–44|issn=0013-0613|access-date=8 July 2016}}</ref> and the ''[[The Daily Telegraph|Daily Telegraph]]'' as "stolen".<ref name="Out of House">{{Cite news|title=Out of House and Home|last=Fletcher|first=Martin|date=7 February 2017|newspaper=The Telegraph|edition=Telegraph Magazine|page=39}}</ref> The Movement for Democratic Change alleged massive fraud and tried to seek relief through the courts.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-23591941 | title=Zimbabwe election: A guide to rigging allegations | work=BBC News | date=7 August 2013 | access-date=7 June 2016}}</ref> In a surprising moment of candour at the ZANU–PF congress in December 2014, President Robert Mugabe accidentally let slip that the opposition had in fact won the contentious 2008 polls by an astounding 73%.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://africanarguments.org/2015/04/23/as-the-house-burns-whither-the-zimbabwean-opposition-by-nicole-beardsworth/|title=As the House Burns, Whither the Zimbabwean Opposition? – By Nicole Beardsworth|date=23 April 2015}}</ref> After winning the election, the Mugabe ZANU–PF government re-instituted [[one party rule]],<ref name="Out of House" /> doubled the civil service and, according to ''The Economist'', embarked on "misrule and dazzling corruption".<ref name =Economist072016/> A 2017 study conducted by the [[Institute for Security Studies]] (ISS) concluded that due to the deterioration of government and the economy "the government encourages corruption to make up for its inability to fund its own institutions" with widespread and informal police roadblocks to issue fines to travellers being one manifestation of this.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://issafrica.org/iss-today/zimbabwes-shady-police-roadblocks-reflect-its-failing-governance|title=Zimbabwe's shady police roadblocks reflect its failing governance – ISS Africa|last=Matyszak|first=Derek|date=20 September 2017|website=ISS Africa|language=en|access-date=22 September 2017}}</ref>

In July 2016 [[2016 Zimbabwe protests|nationwide protests]] took place regarding the economic collapse in the country.<ref name="BBC2016">{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-36724874 |title=Zimbabwe 'shut down' over economic collapse |access-date=7 July 2016 |work=BBC News}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/world/mugabe-at-war-with-militias-that-keep-him-in-power-kbldr7v8l|title=Mugabe at war with militias that keep him in power|last1=Raath|first1=Jan|last2=Graham|first2=Stuart|date=25 July 2016|newspaper=The Times|access-date=25 July 2016|url-access=subscription }}</ref> In November 2017, [[2017 Zimbabwean coup d'état|the army led a coup d'état]] following the dismissal of Vice-president [[Emmerson Mnangagwa]], placing Mugabe under house arrest. The army denied that their actions constituted a [[coup]].<ref name="cnn_turmoil">{{cite news |url= http://edition.cnn.com/2017/11/14/africa/zimbabwe-military-chief-treasonable-conduct/ |title= Zimbabwe in turmoil after apparent coup |first1=David |last1=McKenzie |first2=Brent |last2=Swails |first3=Angela |last3=Dewan |work=CNN |access-date=15 November 2017}}</ref><ref name="guardian_confined">{{cite news |date=15 November 2017|url= https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2017/nov/15/zimbabwe-army-control-harare-coup-robert-mugabe-live |title= Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe confined to home as army takes control |work=The Guardian |access-date= 15 November 2017}}</ref>  On 19 November 2017, ZANU–PF sacked Robert Mugabe as party leader and appointed former Vice-president Emmerson Mnangagwa in his place.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ruling party sacks Mugabe as leader |work=BBC News |date=19 November 2017 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-42043370 |access-date=19 November 2017}}</ref> On 21 November 2017, Mugabe tendered his resignation prior to impeachment proceedings being completed.<ref name="bbc_resigns">{{cite news |title= Zimbabwe's President Mugabe 'resigns' |work= BBC News |date= 21 November 2017 |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-42071488 |access-date=21 November 2017}}</ref> Although under the [[Constitution of Zimbabwe]] Mugabe should be succeeded by Vice-president [[Phelekezela Mphoko]], a supporter of [[Grace Mugabe]], ZANU–PF chief whip Lovemore Matuke stated to the [[Reuters]] news agency that Mnangagwa would be appointed as president.<ref name="bbc_resigns" />

On 30 July 2018 Zimbabwe held its [[2018 Zimbabwean general election|general elections]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.zimeye.net/2018/06/14/breaking-record-23-presidential-candidates-for-zimbabwes-july-30-polls/|title=BREAKING- Record 23 Presidential Candidates For Zimbabwe's July 30 Polls |last=Gondo |first=Talent |work=zimeye.net |language=en-US|access-date=17 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190117071635/https://www.zimeye.net/2018/06/14/breaking-record-23-presidential-candidates-for-zimbabwes-july-30-polls/|archive-date=17 January 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref> which were won by the ZANU-PF party led by Mnangagwa.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://zwnews.com/latest-news-ed-mnangagwa-beats-nelson-chamisa-to-win-zim-election-2018-zanu-mdc-alliance-zec/|title=BREAKING NEWS: Emerson Mnangagwa wins Zimbabwe Presidential Elections 2018, ZEC|last=Mabhena|first=Charles|date=2 August 2018|website=ZWNews|language=en-GB|access-date=17 January 2019}}</ref> [[Nelson Chamisa]] who was leading the main opposition party [[MDC Alliance]] contested the election results claiming voter fraud,<ref name="MutsvairoMuneri2019">{{cite book | author1 = Bruce Mutsvairo | author2 = Cleophas T. Muneri | date = 29 November 2019 | title = Journalism, Democracy, and Human Rights in Zimbabwe | publisher = Rowman & Littlefield | pages = 14– | isbn = 978-1-4985-9977-1 | oclc = 1128426040 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=NR6_DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA14}}</ref>  and subsequently filed a petition to the Constitution Court of Zimbabwe.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.trtworld.com/mea/zimbabwe-s-chamisa-challenges-election-result-19514 |title=Zimbabwe's Chamisa challenges election result |website=TRTWORLD |date=10 August 2018 |access-date=26 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190117070331/https://www.trtworld.com/mea/zimbabwe-s-chamisa-challenges-election-result-19514 |archive-date=17 January 2019 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The court confirmed Mnangagwa's victory, making him the newly elected president after Mugabe.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/zim-concourt-dismisses-mdcs-challenge-confirms-mnangagwa-winner/|title=Zim ConCourt dismisses MDC's challenge, confirms Mnangagwa winner – SABC News – Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa's news leader.|website=www.sabcnews.com|date=24 August 2018 |access-date=17 January 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-zimbabwe-election-court-idUSKCN1L90W2|title=Top Zimbabwe court confirms Mnangagwa's presidential election victory|date=25 August 2018|work=Reuters|access-date=17 January 2019|language=en}}</ref>

In December 2017 the website Zimbabwe News, calculating the cost of the Mugabe era using various statistics, said that at the time of independence in 1980, the country was growing economically at about five per cent a year, and had done so for quite a long time. If this rate of growth had been maintained for the next 37 years, Zimbabwe would have in 2016 a GDP of US$52 billion. Instead it had a formal sector GDP of only US$14 billion, a cost of US$38 billion in lost growth. The population growth in 1980 was among the highest in Africa at about 3.5 per cent per annum, doubling every 21 years. Had this growth been maintained, the population would have been 31 million. Instead, as of 2018, it is about 13 million. The discrepancies were believed to be partly caused by death from starvation and disease, and partly due to decreased fertility. The life expectancy has halved, and deaths from politically motivated violence sponsored by the government exceed 200,000 since 1980. The Mugabe government has directly or indirectly caused the deaths of at least three million Zimbabweans in 37 years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://newzimbabwe.com/columns-40850-The+costs+of+the+Robert+Mugabe+era/columns.aspx|title=The costs of the Robert Mugabe era|website=newzimbabwe.com|access-date=12 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180201005250/http://www.newzimbabwe.com/columns-40850-The+costs+of+the+Robert+Mugabe+era/columns.aspx|archive-date=1 February 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> According to World Food Programme, over two million people are facing starvation because of the recent droughts the country is going through.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/07/africa/zimbabwe-millions-starvation-intl/index.html|title=Millions in Zimbabwe facing starvation after severe droughts, UN food agency says|author=Mark Chingono and Bukola Adebayo|website=CNN|date=7 August 2019|access-date=14 August 2019}}</ref>

In 2018, President Mnangagwa announced that his government would seek to rejoin [[the Commonwealth]], which is as of 2023 conducting a fact-finding mission prior to asking the [[Secretary-General of the United Nations|Secretary-General]] to issue a recommendation.<ref>{{cite news|title=Canada and others debate Zimbabwe's bid to rejoin Commonwealth|journal=[[The Globe and Mail]]|page=A4|date=7 Feb 2023|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-canada-zimbabwe-commonwealth-membership-bid/}}</ref>

In August 2023, President Emmerson Mnangagwa won a second  term in an outcome of the [[2023 Zimbabwean general election|election]] rejected by the opposition and questioned by observers.<ref>{{cite news |title=Zimbabwe's President Mnangagwa wins second term, opposition rejects result |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/8/27/zimbabwes-president-mnangagwa-wins-second-term-opposition-rejects-result |work=Al Jazeera |language=en}}</ref>