Zimbabwe

Violence, colonial history and a leader reluctant to give up power were all factors in the June 24 elections of this landlocked country in southern Africa.

The parliamentary election came after months of campaign-related violence and the takeover of hundreds of white-owned farms by armed black squatters. Opposition members said the takeovers were sanctioned by President Robert Mugabe's government in a bid to strengthen its support among landless blacks. Mugabe has vowed to seize at least 800 more white farms after the elections.

At least 30 people were killed prior to the vote, and thousands were beaten and threatened, mainly by ruling party militants.

Officially called the Republic of Zimbabwe, this country was formerly known as Southern Rhodesia (1911-64), and after that, Rhodesia (1964-79).

Zimbabwe has a president as head of state and a parliament consisting of a 150-member House of Assembly. One hundred twenty seats are elective, traditional chiefs choose 10 members, and 20 members are appointed by the president. A cabinet, led by the Prime Minister, is chosen from the parliament. The president is elected by the parliament for a term of six years, and the members of the House of Assembly serve for six years.

In 1889 the British South Africa Company was formed to colonize and promote trade in the region. During the 1890s additional European settlers began to arrive and lay claim to prospecting rights. The country continued to be governed by the company until 1923. In a referendum in 1922, the 34,000 Europeans chose to become a self-governing British colony instead of joining the Union of South Africa. In 1923 the British crown annexed Southern Rhodesia.

In 1965 the conservative white Rhodesian Front government, led by Ian Smith, declared independence from Britain for the country.

Guerrilla organizations were formed which launched numerous attacks on Rhodesian security forces. Over nearly a decade thousands were killed and almost a million people were uprooted. The white minority finally consented to hold multiracial elections supervised by the British in 1980, and Robert Mugabe of the Shona-based ZANU party won a landslide victory. Mugabe assumed the duties of Prime Minister and defense minister and for a time admitted former guerrilla rivals into the government. Mugabe eventually established a one-party Marxist-oriented state. A multiparty system was established in 1990.

His party suffered serious losses in the latest parliamentary elections. The opposition Movement for Democratic Change won 57 seats against ZANU-PF's 62. The combined opposition has never held more than three seats before.

The opposition can expect to have a strong voice -- but little power -- in the new parliament. Mugabe and his allies get to appoint 30 additional parliamentary seats. That means the president will be able to count on at least 92 votes in the 150-seat legislature, and should be able to pass legislation without difficulty.

Zimbabwe had one of Africa's strongest economies at independence, but today is wracked with high unemployment, soaring inflation and crippling fuel shortages. Commercial farming, the most important sector of the economy, has been badly hurt by the farm takeovers.

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Zimbabwians re-elect Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF party by a narrow margin. (6/27/00)