Zimbabwe History Timeline & Facts

1.1 The Republic of Zimbabwe achieved formal independence from the United Kingdom on 18 April 1980. The country was established in the late nineteenth century as the British colony of Southern Rhodesia. In 1965 the white-dominated Rhodesia Front administration of Prime Minister Ian Smith made an illegal unilateral declaration of independence (UDI) for Rhodesia from the United Kingdom.

1.2 Following UDI, black nationalists fought for majority rule. The principal nationalist groups were the Ndebele-dominated Zimbabwe African People's Union ( ZAPU), led by Joshua Nkomo, and the Shona-dominated Zimbabwe African National Union ( ZANU), led initially by the Reverend Ndabaningi Sithole and later by Robert Mugabe.

1.3 ZAPU and ZANU merged their military efforts in 1976 in an uneasy alliance called the Patriotic Front. In 1979 the UDI administration concluded an 'internal settlement' with some black nationalists, under which Bishop Abel Muzorewa became Rhodesia's first black Prime Minister. Later in 1979, all parties to the conflict, including the Patriotic Front, participated in the Lancaster House Conference in London, which agreed an independence settlement in December 1979.

1.4 In elections in February 1980 Robert Mugabe's ZANU-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) party won 57 of the 80 'common roll' seats with 63% of the vote. Joshua Nkomo's Patriotic Front (effectively ZAPU) party won 20 seats and Bishop Muzorewa's party took three seats. The Rhodesia Front won all 20 seats reserved for Zimbabwean whites. The Reverend Canaan Banana became Zimbabwe's first President, with ceremonial duties only, and Robert Mugabe became Prime Minister, leading a coalition government.

1.5 Robert Mugabe adopted a conciliatory stance initially, stressing reconciliation of all Zimbabweans. The three undefeated armed forces - the Rhodesian forces and the ZANU and ZAPU guerrilla armies - were integrated into a united force. However, Mugabe soon pressed the case for a one-party state but was opposed by ZAPU's Nkomo, who Mugabe demoted in government in 1981 and dismissed in 1982. MATABELELAND INSURGENCY 1983-87

1.6 The discovery of large caches of arms on ZAPU-owned properties in Matabeleland in 1982 led to Nkomo's dismissal from government office. Dissidents from Nkomo's former guerrilla force, ZIPRA, perpetrated indiscriminate acts of violence. The Government responded by sending the North Korean-trained Fifth Brigade to Matabeleland in early 1983 to quell dissent. The mainly Shona Fifth Brigade was accused of committing atrocities against civilians in its pacification campaign and it alienated support for the Government amongst Matabeleland's Ndebele population. It has been estimated that at least 5,000 and as many as 10,000 to 20,000, civilians died during the Fifth Brigade's campaign between 1983 and 1986.

1.7 A unity agreement between ZANU-PF and ZAPU was reached in 1987, ending the conflict in Matabeleland. The merged party retained ZANU-PF's name and Nkomo became one of the party's two vice-presidents and took a senior post in a new cabinet. An amnesty proclaimed in 1988 led to a rapid improvement in the security situation in Matabeleland. Constitutional changes in 1987 led to the end of reserved seats for whites and the creation of an executive Presidency, replacing the ceremonial post of President, held by Canaan Banana since independence, and incorporating the post of Prime Minister. Mugabe became Zimbabwe's first executive President at the end of 1987.

1.8 In July 1999, at the funeral of Vice-President Joshua Nkomo, President Mugabe expressed his regret for the actions of the Fifth Brigade in Matabeleland during the 1980s. At a memorial service for Nkomo in October 1999, Mugabe announced the willingness of the Government to compensate the families of the estimated 25,000 people killed during the insurgency. ELECTIONS 1995 & 1996

1.9 ZANU-PF won a fourth decisive election victory in 1995. Eight opposition parties boycotted the poll but the turnout of 57% was higher than expected. ZANU-PF took 82% of the vote, securing 118 out of 120 seats, 55 of them uncontested. Reverend Sithole's small ZANU-Ndonga party won two seats. Most observers reported the elections to have been free and fair although they criticised ZANU-PF's domination of the media and aspects of electoral procedures. ZANU-PF lost a seat to an independent in a by-election in November 1995.

1.10 Robert Mugabe was re-elected in presidential elections held in May 1996. Although he received nearly 93% of votes cast, turnout was only 32% of those eligible to vote. MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE (MDC)

1.11 The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) was formed as an opposition political party in September 1999 under the leadership of Morgan Tsvangirai, Secretary-General of the 700,000-strong Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU). The aim of the MDC was to be a broadly-based party, capable of overcoming the poor organisation and factionalism that other opposition parties had suffered from.

1.12 A former ZANU-PF party official, Tsvangirai led the ZCTU for ten years and in that time moved it away from its previously close ties to ZANU-PF. The ZCTU emerged as a political force in 1997 when it led a general strike against tax increases. In 1989 Tsvangirai was imprisoned for six weeks on charges of spying for South Africa. In 1997 he was beaten and nearly thrown from his office window by people assumed to be Government thugs. CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM, FEBRUARY 2000

1.13 A constitutional referendum was held in February 2000, called by President Mugabe in a bid to consolidate his powers by amending Zimbabwe's independence constitution to allow the Government to confiscate mainly white-owned land without compensation. The referendum was seen as a barometer of public feeling about Mugabe's unpopular administration. Despite tireless campaigning to ensure victory, the referendum result was a rejection of the Government's proposals, by 55% to 45%.

1.14 Despite losing the referendum, the Government pushed through a constitutional amendment in April 2000 to allow the seizure of mainly white-owned farms without compensation. The constitutional amendment states that white farmers dispossessed of their land would have to apply to the "former colonial power", the United Kingdom, for compensation. PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS, JUNE 2000 Background

1.15 Elections for 120 of the 150 seats in Parliament were held in June 2000. Of the remaining 30 seats, 10 are held by traditional chiefs elected by the Council of Chiefs, 12 are non-constituency MPs appointed by the President and 8 are provincial governors, also appointed by the President. This gave ZANU-PF an immediate 20-seat advantage over the opposition. The election of the ten chiefs was postponed, apparently because the Government feared that some might favour the opposition.

1.16 Only ZANU-PF and the MDC fielded candidates in all 120 constituencies. A number of small parties and independents fielded candidates in various constituencies. The United Parties, led by Bishop Muzorewa, fielded 59 candidates, mainly in northern and eastern areas. A party calling itself ZAPU, after the late Joshua Nkomo's party that merged with ZANU-PF in 1987, fielded 23 candidates mainly in Matabeleland, advocating a federal state to counteract Shona dominance of the Ndebele. The Zimbabwe Union of Democrats (ZUD), led by Margaret Dongo, outgoing MP for Harare South, fielded 16 candidates in Harare and the east. Reverend Sithole's small ZANU-Ndonga party, which held two seats in the outgoing parliament, also contested seats. Election Violence & Farm Occupations

1.17 The elections were preceded by a Government-sanctioned systematic campaign of violence towards supporters and suspected supporters of the opposition. Many acts of violence were perpetrated by ZANU-PF militants and 'war veterans', many of whom were too young to have participated in the war of independence and were suspected of having been paid to join in. As many as 37 people died in the violence, many of them opposition supporters. Many opposition candidates and supporters had to go into hiding during the election campaign, including Roy Bennett, the MDC candidate in Chinaminani, whose pregnant wife was attacked, as a result of which she suffered a miscarriage, and Blessing Chebundo, MDC candidate in Kwekwe. Following the elections, MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai called for President Mugabe to be impeached for inciting the violence that marred the election campaign.

1.18 In a campaign supported by President Mugabe, war veterans led by Chenjerai 'Hitler' Hunzvi launched a series of illegal occupations of 1,000 white-owned farms in February 2000. These acts appeared to be retaliation for the Government's defeat in the constitutional referendum. In April 2000, President Mugabe threatened war against the farmers and declared that they were "enemies of the state". Squatters murdered five white farmers during the violent occupation of the farms and also attacked many black farm workers. The police did little to apprehend those responsible for the murders and violence and would not act against the squatters occupying farms, despite High Court rulings in favour of the farmers. Farmer Martin Olds was murdered on his Matabeleland farm in April 2000; most of the 70 assailants were Shona supporters of ZANU-PF who had reportedly been bussed in to the area. Election Results

1.19 ZANU-PF won 62 of the 120 seats with just over 49% of the vote and the MDC won 57 seats with just under 48% of the vote. ZANU-Ndonga won one seat. The results highlighted regional divisions. The MDC won all 19 seats in Harare, all 8 in Bulawayo and took 13 of the 15 seats in Matabeleland. ZANU-PF took every seat in the farming province of Mashonaland Central. Results by cities and province were: Harare - 19 MDC Bulawayo - 8 MDC Manicaland - 7 MDC, 6 ZANU-PF, 1 ZANU-Ndonga Mashonaland Central - 10 ZANU-PF Mashonaland East - 11 ZANU-PF, 1 MDC Mashonaland West - 10 ZANU-PF, 2 MDC Masvingo - 12 ZANU-PF, 2 MDC Matabeleland North - 7 MDC Matabeleland South - 6 MDC, 2 ZANU-PF Midlands - 11 ZANU-PF, 5 MDC

1.20 Seven Ministers from the outgoing Government lost their seats, including Emmerson Mnangagwa, who had been considered a possible heir to Mugabe. He lost his Kwekwe seat by a 2 to 1 margin to the MDC's Blessing Chebundo, who had to go into hiding during the election campaign. One notable winner for ZANU-PF was Chenjerai Hunzvi, the controversial war veterans' leader.

1.21 Notable wins for the MDC included those of Welshman Ncube, the party's Secretary-General who beat his ZANU-PF opponent in Bulawayo North East by 21,100 votes to 2,864. MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai failed to win Buhera North, the seat he contested in ZANU-PF's rural heartland, by only 2,534 votes. However, the MDC successfully challenged the result in Buhera North and the result was nullified by the High Court in April 2001. A by-election will be held to fill the seat. Four whites won seats for the MDC, including David Coltart, the party's legal secretary and a prominent human rights lawyer, who secured his Bulawayo South seat with 86% of the vote, in a predominantly black-populated constituency.

1.22 Small parties faired less well. Margaret Dongo of the ZUD lost her Harare South seat to the MDC. Only one of the opposition MPs in the outgoing parliament, Wilson Khumbula, Vice-President of ZANU-Ndonga, retained his seat and is the only MP in the new Parliament who is not from ZANU-PF or the MDC. The United Parties, ZUD, ZAPU or either of the Liberty Party factions in Matabeleland, won no seats.

1.23 Although most election observers agreed that the voting process itself generally was peaceful, there were irregularities and an estimated 15% of voters were turned away at the polls for various technical reasons. POST-ELECTION VIOLENCE & INTIMIDATION

1.24 In October 2000 President Mugabe issued a decree granting a general amnesty for politically motivated crimes that occurred between 1 January and 31 July 2000, which effectively protects and pardons the majority of those responsible for the violence in the election campaign from prosecution. The amnesty does not cover the offences of murder, rape, sexual assault, robbery, theft and possession of arms, but does cover other serious offences such as common assault and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. The amnesty permitted the immediate release of prisoners convicted of the latter two offences. Two war veterans arrested in August 2000 for their part in the torture of MDC members in Bulawayo by ZANU-PF supporters in March 2000 had charges against them dropped as a result of the amnesty.

1.25 Acts of violence continued after the elections. In September 2000 a grenade exploded outside the MDC's headquarters in Harare. There were no injuries. The MDC accused the Government of being behind the attack. Following the attack, police raided the MDC's offices, seizing documents and computer discs. Four officials were arrested and released several hours later without charge. They included Nelson Chamisa, head of the MDC's youth wing, and Gandhi Madzingwa, Morgan Tsvangirai's personal assistant.

1.26 A by-election was held in the Marondera West constituency in November 2000 following the death of the ZANU-PF MP. Although the seat is a ZANU-PF stronghold, with a majority of more than 6,000 over the MDC in June 2000, the by-election campaign was nevertheless marred by acts of violence by ZANU-PF supporters and war veterans against the MDC. One person died when ZANU-PF supporters fired on an opposition rally. Further opposition rallies had to be abandoned after armed ZANU-PF supporters dispersed another meeting. ZANU-PF won the by-election.

1.27 In December 2000, white farmer Henry Elsworth was murdered, the sixth white farmer to die in 2000. Farming representatives described the act as a political assassination. Elsworth was an MP in Ian Smith's Rhodesia Front, who, in 1982, had broken with Smith and became an ally of Robert Mugabe, who appointed him to Parliament in 1987, where he served until 1990.

1.28 In February 2001, Job Sikhala, MDC MP for St Mary's, was assaulted by at least 50 soldiers who raided his home. His pregnant wife and others in the house were also beaten. Shortly afterwards, Nelson Chamisa, the MDC youth wing leader, was arrested and detained by police. Gibson Sibanda MP, the MDC's Vice-President, was also summoned for questioning by the police. He was released but, along with Chamisa, who was held in custody, was charged with inciting violence. At the time, troops had been patrolling opposition strongholds in townships, in response to what the Government claimed was a campaign of violent insurrection being planned by the opposition.

1.29 Later in February 2001, Peter Nyoni, MDC MP for Hwange East in Matabeleland, and three senior MDC officials were arrested on charges of inciting violence, relating to inflammatory remarks they were alleged to have made at an MDC rally. They appeared before a magistrate and were then released.

1.30 In March 2001, the police imposed a ban on MDC rallies in the Chitungwiza township near Harare. The MDC announced its intention to challenge the ban in the High Court. There has been a major drive by Government supporters and security forces in Chitungwiza against MDC supporters. Nightly raids and beatings by police have been reported. Local MDC MP Job Sikhala claimed that the campaign was aimed at removing opposition ahead of Presidential elections due in 2002.

1.31 In March 2001, Gloria Olds became the seventh white farmer to be murdered. ZANU-PF supporters and war veterans murdered her son, Martin Olds, in April 2000. A man appeared in court in Bulawayo later in March 2001 charged with Mrs Olds' murder, the first time that anybody had faced court over any of the murders of white farmers.

1.32 In April 2001 ZANU-PF supporters and war veterans began a new offensive against Zimbabwean whites by targeting white-owned businesses. Several factories in Harare were invaded by chanting mobs of people claiming to be war veterans, demanding the reinstatement of workers they claim were unfairly dismissed. In one case, the general manager, a black Zimbabwean, was assaulted and frog-marched to ZANU-PF offices where he was interrogated for three hours and accused of supporting the MDC. He was released only after being forced to reinstate the sacked workers, and he afterwards fled to South Africa. In another case the white managing director of a business was harangued by gang of 80 men who entered the company's premises with the help of police. A white manager was arrested and held overnight in cells. A German development organisation was also targeted by war veterans in April 2001 and the incident was only resolved after the intervention of the German Ambassador; police refused to intervene.

1.33 In April 2001 war veterans' leader Chenjerai Hunzvi MP reportedly threatened that war veterans would target foreign diplomatic missions and NGOs that it considers oppose President Mugabe. Some diplomatic missions are reported to have threatened to leave Zimbabwe if the government fails to protect them, as it is required to under the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations. However, following condemnation by foreign governments and the European Union of the reported threats, Hunzvi denied that he had made them.

1.34 MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai will appear in the High Court in May 2001 on charges of terrorism and sabotage stemming from a statement he made in September 2000 advising President Mugabe to resign or risk being removed by force Tsvangirai. is being charged under the Law and Order Maintenance Act. If convicted he faces life imprisonment. The Government claims that Tsvangirai's statement amounted to inciting people to violently overthrow the Government. The impending trial follows close after Tsvangirai won his petition to the High Court challenging ZANU-PF's election victory in Buhera North, which he contested in the June 2000 elections. Gibson Sibanda, the MDC's Parliamentary leader, also faces charges under the LOMA of inciting violence and is due to appear in court on 28 May 2001. Other MDC officials charged under the LOMA are Nelson Chamisa, the party's youth chairman, Hwange East MP Peter Nyoni and five provincial executive members from Victoria Falls. BIKITA WEST BY-ELECTION

1.35 Amos Munyaradzi Mutongi, MDC MP for Bikita West in Masvingo province, died in November 2000. The MDC had won the seat in June 2000 by less than 300 votes. The subsequent by-election in January 2001 was marred by violence, perpetrated by both Government and MDC supporters. A ZANU-PF party member was killed during clashes at a political rally. Two MDC MPs, Renson Gasela and Willias Madzimure, were injured in the clashes. A motor convoy of MDC officials was petrol-bombed during the by-election campaign. The war veterans leader, and ZANU-PF MP, Chenjerai Hunzvi organised much of the intimidation in Bikita West. Government supporters and war veterans occupied many polling stations in the constituency.

1.36 The ZANU-PF candidate, who took almost two thirds of the vote, won the by-election. ZANU-PF took 12,993 votes against 7,001 for the MDC. Following the by-election, it was reported that ZANU-PF supporters and war veterans embarked on a witch-hunt of MDC supporters in the constituency. War veterans targeted teachers, who they claimed had campaigned for the MDC. Three schoolteachers were reportedly tortured by suspected war criminals. LEGAL CHALLENGES TO ELECTION RESULTS

1.37 After the elections the MDC announced that it would mount legal challenges against the results in 37 of the 62 seats won by ZANU-PF. The MDC complained of violence during the election campaign and irregularities during polling. In December 2000 President Mugabe decreed that no court hearings could be held to invalidate disputed election results, but in January 2001 the Supreme Court declared the President's decree unconstitutional.

1.38 In March 2001, in the first of the legal challenges against the election results to be heard, the High Court dismissed the MDC's application to have the result in Zvishavane constituency nullified. The Judge, while acknowledging that violence had occurred in Zvishavane, found that there was no evidence that the winning ZANU-PF candidate had approved the actions of war veterans and ZANU-PF supporters. The MDC will challenge the High Court's ruling on Zvishavane in the Supreme Court.

1.39 In April 2001 the High Court overturned the election result in Buhera North, where the ZANU-PF candidate was declared the winner with 12,850 votes over the MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai with 10,316 votes. On the same day the High Court also nullified the result in Hurungwe West, where the ZANU-PF candidate was declared the winner in June 2000 with a vote of 18,931 against the MDC's 4,532. By-elections will be held in both constituencies. In both cases the Judge ruled that there was evidence of intimidation of opposition officials and supporters during the election. The High Court's rulings reduced the number of ZANU-PF seats to 61 of the 120 directly elected seats in Parliament.

1.40 Following the High Court ruling nullifying the result in Buhera North, armed police raided the offices of MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai in Harare and arrested four members of his security team and a member of the public. The police stated that the men would be charged under the Law and Order Maintenance Act (LOMA). A lawyer acting for the MDC was refused access to the detainees.

Zimbabwe History Timeline & Facts

Concise Facts and History about Zimbabwe
700AD - Arabian and Persians trade with ivory, rhino horn, gold, shells and slaves
1000 AD - the Shona people began their rule and built a city called Zimbabwe
1400s - the Karanga branch of the Shona established the Mwanamutapa Empire
1500's - the Rowzi branch rebelled and formed the Changamire Empire
1500s - Christianity was introduced by the Portuguese explorers
1830s Nguni people from the south defeated the empire

The slaves were emancipated in the 1830's
1888 Lobengula, the ruler, signed an agreement that granted mineral rights to the British South African Company
1893 - The British South African Company occupied the region and called the territory Rhodesia
1897 - Great Britain recognized southern and northern Rhodesia as separate territories
1923 Southern Rhodesia became a self-governing British Colony
1953 Great Britain set up the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, which included the territories of Southern and Northern Rhodesia
1963 - The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland was dissolved
1964 - Northern Rhodesia became Zambia
1964 - Southern Rhodesia became known as Rhodesia
11 November 1965 Prime Minister, Ian Smith, declared Rhodesia independent. Great Britain declared this action illegal and banned trade with Rhodesia
1966 The United Nations imposed sanctions on Rhodesia
1969 A new constitution was introduced to prevent black Africans from ever gaining control of the government
2 March 1970 Rhodesia declared itself a republic
1970-1974 Civil War between government troops and black guerrillas
1977-1979 Prime Minister Smith began to make plans to establish a new government with a majority of black leaders
April 1979 - Election resulted in a majority of black leaders
April 1979 - Abel T. Muzorewa became the first black Prime Minister
31 May 1979 - Zimbabwe proclaimed independence
1 June 1979 - The nation of Zimbabwe, formerly Rhodesia, was formed
18 April 1980 - Great Britain recognized the country's independence and Rhodesia's name was officially changed to Zimbabwe
February 2000 - In a referendum held Zimbabwe voters rejected a new constitution which included provisions that called for redistribution of white-owned farmland to blacks 1800-1900's - European slave traders establish coastal ports for the increasing traffic in slaves destined for the Americas

Zimbabwe History Time line