Zimbabwe: Freedom in the World 2025 Country Report

Zimbabwe

header1 Overview

The Zimbabwe African National Union–Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) has dominated Zimbabwean politics since independence in 1980 by carrying out severe crackdowns on the political opposition, critical media, and all sources of dissent. President Emmerson Mnangagwa took power in 2017 after the military intervened to remove longtime president Robert Mugabe amid factional divisions within the ruling party. Mnangagwa has largely retained the legal, administrative, and security architecture of the Mugabe era, and has consolidated his authority through acts of repression and a number of constitutional amendments. Endemic corruption, a vast patronage system, weak rule of law, and poor protections for workers and land rights remain critical challenges.

header2 Key Developments in 2024

The main opposition group, Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), continued to boycott parliamentary by-elections during the year, demanding electoral reforms in the wake of deeply flawed general elections in 2023; in February and April, ZANU-PF won several additional seats formerly held by the CCC amid extremely low voter turnout. Nelson Chamisa, founding leader of the CCC, had resigned from the party in January, citing interference and infiltration by ZANU-PF and state institutions. Some other CCC figures followed suit, while the party itself remained divided into rival factions.

Economic conditions continued to deteriorate despite the government’s April introduction of a new digital currency backed by gold reserves, which was meant to address hyperinflation. The so-called the Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) currency quickly lost value, even though legal mandates required its use for certain transactions. The chief prosecutor warned in May that corruption was costing the country billions of US dollars annually, and investigative media outlets alleged in July that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission had granted inflated contracts to a South African printing company and its local agent in exchange for corrupt payments to Zimbabwean officials, prompting state investigations in both countries that were ongoing at year’s end.

In June, Zimbabwean authorities launched a crackdown on the opposition and civil society activists in a bid to preempt protests as the country prepared to host an August summit of the Southern African Development Community. By early August, more than 160 people had been arrested, including politicians, journalists, and students. While many were eventually acquitted or given suspended sentences, cases of abuse in custody were reported. Separately, former CCC lawmaker Job Sikhala was released in January after spending 595 days in pretrial detention following his 2022 arrest; he received a two-year suspended prison term for allegedly inciting public violence.

Zimbabwean lawmakers made progress on several important pieces of legislation during the year. A law enacted in September raised the age of sexual consent from 16 to 18 as part of an effort to combat sexual exploitation and reinforce existing rules against marriage before age 18. In December, the president signed a law that eliminated the death penalty and called for those on death row to have their sentences reduced, though one provision allowed the death penalty to be reintroduced during a state of emergency. At year’s end Parliament was still considering the controversial Private Voluntary Organisation Amendment Bill 2024, which was ostensibly aimed at curbing money laundering, terrorist financing, and improper political activity by nongovernmental organizations (NGOs); critics warned that the bill would lead to onerous registration requirements for NGOs, state interference in NGO operations, and potential criminal punishments for noncompliance. Even before passage, many NGOs were reporting self-censorship, surveillance, intimidation, and infiltration by state agents.

This report has been abridged for Freedom in the World 2025 due to ongoing budget constraints. Freedom in the World is entirely funded by nongovernmental sources such as private foundations, corporations, and individuals like you. Please consider making a donation to support future editions of this vital resource.

For additional background information, see last year’s full report.

PR Political Rights

A Electoral Process

B Political Pluralism and Participation

Score Change: The score declined from 1 to 0 due to accelerated efforts by the authorities to fragment the main opposition party, reduce its parliamentary representation, and arrest its leaders and supporters since the 2023 general elections.

C Functioning of Government

CL Civil Liberties

D Freedom of Expression and Belief

E Associational and Organizational Rights

F Rule of Law

G Personal Autonomy and Individual Rights

See all data, scores & information on this country or territory.

Country Facts

Population

16,320,000

Global Freedom Score

25 100 not free

Internet Freedom Score

50 100 partly free

As Freedom House marks its 85th anniversary, we're asking you to join our Investing in Freedom's Future campaign. Global freedom has been in decline for two decades — and your support will sustain our world-class analysis, expand resources for rights defenders, and push back against authoritarian abuses. Help us build a world where all are free.

Artwork by Laura Roosevelt.

Be the first to know what's happening.

Join the Freedom House weekly newsletter