ZANU–PF as recently as 1999. ZANU–PF has not attended any SI congresses or meetings since, and the party's opposition, the Movement for Democratic Change – Tsvangirai, in fact joined SI in 2008. Socialist International has condemned the actions of Zimbabwe's ZANU–PF-dominated government and military. ZANU–PF The Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU–PF) has been the ruling party in Zimbabwe since independence in 1980. The party was led for many years under Robert Mugabe, first as Prime Minister with the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) and then as President from 1987 after the merger with the Zimbabwe African People's Union
History of Zimbabwe deficit remained well above target, and many industrial firms, notably in textiles and footwear, closed in response to increased competition and high real interest rates. The incidence of poverty in the country increased during this time. However, Zimbabwe began experiencing a period of considerable political and economic upheaval in 1999. Opposition to President Mugabe and the ZANU-PF government grew considerably after the mid-1990s in part due to worsening economic and human rights conditions brought about by crippling economic sanctions imposed by western countries led by Britain in response to land seizures from the White minority farmers. The Movement for Democratic