In this video we learn about the characteristics of government in Zimbabwe. This video is part of the Civics Academy Governance Series for Zimbabwe.
We often hear that ‘the government makes all the decisions’ or that the ‘government will build schools and hospitals’. But do we know what ‘government’ really means and what it actually is responsible for?
Governance is the form or system of rule by which a state or nation is organised and governed. This happens through a system made up of laws and institutions. Government normally consists of the legislature, which creates the laws; the executive, which implements the laws; and the courts, or judiciary, which interpret and apply the laws.
There are many different forms of government. Zimbabwe has a democratic government which is characterised by the separation and balance of powers. The legislature creates and passes state law, the executive implements state law and the judiciary interprets and applies it.
Zimbabwe is furthermore a representative democracy, which is formed by means of periodically held elections on local, provincial and national level. Elections allow us ordinary citizens to determine who should manage and govern the country, and therefore represent our interest.
