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Background
Britain annexed Southern Rhodesia from the South Africa Company in 1923. In 1961 a constitution was formulated to keep whites in power. In 1965 the government unilaterally declared its independence, but Britain did not recognise the act and demanded voting rights for the black African majority in the country (then called Rhodesia). UN sanctions and a guerrilla uprising finally led to free elections in 1979 and independence as Zimbabwe in 1980. Robert Mugabe, the nation's first prime minister, has been the country's only ruler. Mugabe and his party won the elections held in 2000 and 2002 amid accusations of state-sponsored violence and intimidation.
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- 176Kb ~ 1 min (7 pages)
