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Prime Minister of Zimbabwe

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The Prime Minister of Zimbabwe is the head of government in Zimbabwe. From 1980 to 1987, Robert Mugabe was the first person to hold the position following independence from the United Kingdom. He took office when Rhodesia became the Republic of Zimbabwe on April 17, 1980. This position was abolished when the constitution was amended in 1987 and Mugabe became President of Zimbabwe, both the head of state and the head of government.

Restoration of office

In the wake of the electoral violence and controversy surrounding the 2008 presidential election and later run-off, negotiations between Mugabe's ZANU-PF and rival candidate Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC led to a power-sharing agreement in September 2008, providing for the restoration of the office of Prime Minister. The post will hold executive powers, but not the full executive powers it held during the 1980s. For instance, the prime minister will chair the cabinet and be head of government, but the president will remain head of the cabinet; in addition, the prime minister will sit in the Joint Operations Command, alongside the heads of the armed forces, intelligence, and police.

Prime Minister of Zimbabwe (1980–present)

Name Term start Term end Political Party
Robert Mugabe 18 April 1980 31 December 1987 Zimbabwe African National Union
Post abolished 31 December 1987 11 February 2009 -
Morgan Tsvangirai 11 February 2009 Incumbent Movement for Democratic Change-Tsvangirai