The
UK annexed [Southern Rhodesia]
? from the [South Africa Company]
?
in
1923. A
1961 constitution was formulated to keep
whites in power. In
1965 the government unilaterally declared its
independence, but the UK did not recognize 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 (as president since
1987) and has
dominated the country's political system since independence.