Legal System of Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe is located in Africa. It is geographically situated in southern africa, between south africa and zambia. The country achieved independence on 18 april 1980 (from the uk). The capital is Harare.

Government Overview

Government Type: presidential republic Chief of State: President Emmerson Dambudzo MNANGAGWA (since 4 September 2023) Head of Government: Vice President Constantino CHIWENGA (since 11 September 2023) Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president, responsible to National Assembly Administrative Divisions: 8 provinces and 2 cities* with provincial status; Bulawayo*, Harare*, Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Masvingo, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, Midlands National Holiday: Independence Day, 18 April (1980) Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Legal System

The legal system of Zimbabwe is described as mixed system of English common law, Roman-Dutch civil law, and customary law International Law: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Constitutional Framework

The constitution has the following history: previous 1965 (at Rhodesian independence), 1979 (Lancaster House Agreement), 1980 (at Zimbabwean independence); latest final draft completed January 2013, approved by referendum 16 March 2013, approved by Parliament 9 May 2013, effective 22 May 2013 Amendment Process: proposed by the Senate or by the National Assembly; passage requires two-thirds majority vote by the membership of both houses of Parliament and assent of the president of the republic; amendments to constitutional chapters on fundamental human rights and freedoms and on agricultural lands also require approval by a majority of votes cast in a referendum

Judicial Branch

Highest Court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 4 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of the chief and deputy chief justices and 9 judges) Judge Selection: Supreme Court judges appointed by the president on recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission, an independent body consisting of the chief justice, Public Service Commission chairman, attorney general, and 2-3 members appointed by the president; judges normally serve until age 65 but can elect to serve until age 70; Constitutional Court judge appointment NA; judges serve nonrenewable 15-year terms Subordinate Courts: High Court; Labor Court; Administrative Court; regional magistrate courts; customary law courts; special courts

Legislative Branch

The legislative structure consists of bicameral Lower Chamber: National Assembly (280 (all directly elected) seats) Electoral System (Lower Chamber): mixed system Upper Chamber: Senate

Citizenship and Suffrage

Citizenship by Birth: no Citizenship by Descent: the father must be a citizen of Zimbabwe; in the case of a child born out of wedlock, the mother must be a citizen Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Historical Background

The hunter-gatherer San people first inhabited the area that eventually became Zimbabwe. Farming communities migrated to the area around A.D. 500 during the Bantu expansion, and Shona-speaking societies began to develop in the Limpopo valley and Zimbabwean highlands around the 9th century. These societies traded with Arab merchants on the Indian Ocean coast and organized under the Kingdom of Mapungubwe in the 11th century.

This article provides a summary of the legal system and governmental structure of Zimbabwe based on the CIA World Factbook. The Factbook is a public domain publication of the United States Central Intelligence Agency.