State in Zimbabwe

The Constitution is Zimbabwe's supreme law. It rests on popular sovereignty, separation of powers, the rule of law, accountability, transparency, responsiveness, a multiparty system and fair resource distribution. Zimbabwe officially recognises 16 languages, including sign language, and State and government institutions must support equal language access. The 2026 constitutional amendment took effect on 7 July 2026. It changed the presidential election process so that the President is elected by a joint sitting of the Senate and the National Assembly, set the presidential, parliamentary and local-authority cycle at seven years, reorganised the judiciary, created a new Delimitation Commission and changed the composition of Parliament. The National Peace and Reconciliation Commission ceased to exist as a separate Chapter 12 commission on that date. Zimbabwe has three levels of government: the national Government, provincial or metropolitan councils, and local authorities. The country has ten provinces, including Bulawayo Metropolitan and Harare Metropolitan provinces. Provinces are divided into districts. Urban councils and rural councils manage local affairs, make by-laws and collect rates or other taxes authorised by law. The Ministry responsible for Local Government coordinates devolution, provincial affairs, local authorities, State land, spatial planning and public works. Devolution transfers powers and resources to lower levels, but its practical results depend on institutional capacity and available finance. Many public services remain centralised while devolution develops. Traditional leadership is constitutionally recognised. Chiefs, headpersons and village heads have roles in culture, customary law, communal land, environmental protection, development and dispute resolution. A chief is appointed or removed by the President on the recommendation of the Provincial Assembly of Chiefs, after the process involving the National Council of Chiefs and the responsible Minister. Traditional leaders must not act as representatives of political parties. Their customary jurisdiction applies only within the limits set by law. The President exercises executive authority through Cabinet and is the Head of State and Commander-in-Chief. The executive includes the Vice-President or Vice-Presidents, Cabinet, the Office of the President and Cabinet, the Chief Secretary, ministries and Permanent Secretaries. Cabinet directs government operations, handles parliamentary business, develops national policy and supports legislation. The President assigns ministerial responsibilities, makes specified appointments, gives assent to legislation, conducts diplomacy and may deploy the Defence Forces in accordance with the Constitution. Parliament consists of the Senate and the National Assembly, with 370 seats in total. The Senate has 90 members, including provincial representation, traditional leaders, disability representation and ten experts appointed by the President. The National Assembly has 210 constituency seats, 60 women’s seats and ten youth seats. Parliament makes laws, represents the public, protects the Constitution and oversees State and government institutions. Portfolio and thematic committees, the Public Accounts Committee and the Parliamentary Legal Committee examine government work and public money. People can participate through public hearings, petitions and committee business. The Parliamentary administration, known as the CSRO, supports parliamentary procedure, standing orders and commission-nomination processes. Zimbabwe's courts include the Constitutional Court, Supreme Court, High Court, Labour Court, Administrative Court, Magistrates Courts and other subordinate courts. The Constitutional Court handles constitutional matters and, since the 2026 amendment, can also grant leave to appeal where a case raises an arguable point of law of general public importance. The Supreme Court is the final appeal court except where the Constitutional Court has jurisdiction. The High Court has original civil and criminal jurisdiction throughout Zimbabwe and supervises or reviews subordinate courts. The Chief Justice leads the judiciary and the Constitutional Court, while the Judge President leads the Supreme Court. Judges are appointed by the President after consultation with the Judicial Service Commission. The Attorney-General advises the Government, represents it in civil and constitutional matters and drafts legislation. The independent National Prosecuting Authority conducts prosecutions, and the Prosecutor-General reports annually to Parliament. The single Public Service implements executive policy, administers public programmes and delivers public services. It excludes the security services, judges and magistrates, constitutional commissions and parliamentary staff. Public servants must remain politically neutral and must not obey a manifestly illegal order. The Public Service Commission handles appointments, conditions and salaries, discipline, grievances and efficiency, and applies a ten percent disability quota. The President appoints Permanent Secretaries after consulting the Commission; their appointment may last up to five years and may be renewed once. Independent oversight includes the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission, Zimbabwe Gender Commission and Zimbabwe Media Commission. These commissions operate independently, may not receive instructions from outside, and remain accountable to Parliament. Their members are nominated through public processes involving the CSRO and interviews before presidential appointment. The Human Rights Commission monitors rights, receives complaints and makes recommendations. The Gender Commission addresses gender equality. The Media Commission deals with media freedom, media ethics, access to information and complaints. The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission prevents and investigates corruption and provides public education. The Auditor-General audits government departments, institutions, agencies, provincial and metropolitan councils and local authorities. The Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe promotes transparent and competitive procurement, monitors public-asset disposal and reviews bidder complaints. Parliament, the Auditor-General, the Anti-Corruption Commission and the courts provide complementary oversight rather than a single control mechanism. Public money is held through the Consolidated Revenue Fund and managed through the ministry responsible for finance and the Treasury. The annual Budget sets out Estimates, followed by an Appropriation Act before public money may be released. The official 2026 Budget portal recorded total expenditure of ZWG 301.6 billion and a revenue target of ZWG 287.6 billion, subject to the applicable budget documents and later review. The Mid-Year Review updates the financial position. The Public Finance Management Act governs appropriations, accounting officers, public entities, local authorities, reporting and audits. The Public Finance Management System supports decentralised government accounting. ZIMRA collects taxes and customs duties, facilitates trade and travel, provides fiscal advice and protects civil-society organisations under the applicable rules. The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe is the central bank. Taxes, fees, rates and levies depend on legislation or local by-laws; Zimbabwe has no single State-wide fee for every public service. The Constitution protects human dignity, personal security, freedom from torture, equality, privacy, peaceful assembly and association, peaceful demonstration and petition, freedom of conscience, expression and the media, access to information, language and culture, movement, political participation, administrative justice, fair hearing and access to courts. Citizens and permanent residents may obtain State information for public accountability. Any person may request information needed to protect or exercise a right. The Freedom of Information Act 2020 provides for information officers, record management and review or complaint procedures involving the Zimbabwe Media Commission. Restrictions on rights must be created by law and be fair, necessary and justifiable. Administrative conduct must be lawful, prompt, efficient, reasonable, proportionate, impartial and fair, and authorities must give written reasons where required. Services are delivered through ministries, provincial offices, local authorities, commissions, courts, ZIMRA and the Police, with timing and service fees varying by institution and governing rules. Zimbabwe's security services include the Defence Forces, the Police Service, intelligence services, the Prisons and Correctional Service and other services created by law. They must be non-partisan, professional, nationally oriented and subordinate to civilian authority, and members may not perform party functions. The National Security Council advises on security policy. The Defence Forces consist of the Army and Air Force and protect sovereignty, territorial integrity and national interests. The President deploys them for domestic defence, public order or emergencies and for international, regional or United Nations commitments, while Parliament must receive deployment information. The Zimbabwe Republic Police prevents, investigates and detects crime, protects life and property, maintains law and order and enforces the law. The Prisons and Correctional Service manages detention, rehabilitation, reintegration and prisons. The Constitution requires an independent complaints mechanism for misconduct by security services.