Dictators in Zimbabwe By Patrick McDermott and Christian Cornelius

Background Information on Zimbabwe  Originally "Southern Rhodesia"  Divided into 2 parts- northern and southern  Northern part: Zambia 1964 (mostly black Africans controlled gov.)  No right to vote or run for office until 1978  Southern part: became Zimbabwe (mostly white controlled gov.)  Agreement for black Africans to control Southern Rhodesia; was renamed "Zimbabwe"  First prime minister: Robert Mugabe in 1980

Robert Mugabe  Born on February 21,1924  Infamous and long-serving leader  Political prisoner under Rhodesian gov.  Led Zimbabwe African National Union Movement  Key negotiator in the 1979 Lancaster House Agreement (led to creation of Zimbabwe)  Became president in 1987

Canaan Banana  Born in 1963 near Bulawayo, Zimbabwe  First black president in Zimbabwe  Head of state for seven years after independence in 1980  Led a mission from the World Council of Churches to separate races of South Africa  Even though president, Robert Mugabe had more control

Why has the country been victim to so many dictators?  Originally had a foreign policy within government before independence  Thought dictatorship was a democracy  Zimbabwe today: dictatorship  Zimbabwe's president today: Robert Mugabe

What impact has having so many dictators had on the country politically, economically, and socially?  Citizens lost power in their government, given entirely to the president  Got unwillingly involved in Civil war in the Congo in for gold and diamonds  Removed white farms from commercial farming, lowering the economy and ultimately resulting in a recent drought  Under the order of the President, Police and government officials would torture and kill any citizen who opposes him

How has the international community responded to each of the major dictators?  President of South Africa Nelson Mandela convinced Canaan to return to Zimbabwe to face charges for Sodomy.  Robert Mugabe, while attending an Africa Union summit, personally ranted against the UN, Whites, and United states president Barack Obama, saying they did not give equal power to Africans in the UN, threatening to quit the UN  Before he became president, when his officers and

'Executive President Robert Mugabe