Washington D.C. – The administration of former US President Donald Trump has placed Zimbabwe under a renewed travel restriction order, citing concerns over governance and human rights abuses.
Zimbabwe is among 36 countries flagged in a new State Department memo for failing to meet strict U.S. immigration, security, and diplomatic benchmarks, with President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government under specific scrutiny.
This development marks yet another escalation in the strained relations between Harare and Washington that began in 2002, when the United States first imposed targeted sanctions on Zimbabwean officials under the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act (ZDERA).
ZDERA has since been lifted.
Those initial sanctions—prompted by allegations of election rigging, media repression, and land seizures—have evolved over the years into a complex regime of restrictions, targeting individuals and entities associated with rights violations and corruption.
In the latest iteration of the U.S. crackdown, Zimbabwe joins 25 African nations and other countries in the Caribbean, Central Asia, and the Pacific Islands facing possible visa bans or entry suspensions.
The list, which includes long-time U.S. allies like Egypt and Ghana, was part of a memo signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. According to The Washington Post, the memo outlines a 60-day compliance window during which countries must provide an actionable plan to address U.S. concerns.
Key concerns listed in the memo include Zimbabwe’s failure to issue reliable identity documents, widespread corruption, and a lack of cooperation on deportation cases.
The Trump administration also cited “government fraud” and “unreliable vetting and screening mechanisms” as justification for considering expanded sanctions.
This is not the first time Zimbabwe has been hit with travel bans.
During Trump’s first term in office, several African and Muslim-majority countries were affected by controversial travel restrictions, which critics labeled xenophobic.
Although President Joe Biden rescinded those measures in 2021, Trump—now seeking another term—has vowed to reinstate and expand the bans “bigger than before.”
Under the new order issued June 4, full travel restrictions were already applied to 13 countries including Afghanistan, Iran, Libya, and Yemen.
Zimbabwe’s addition to the expanded list signals renewed pressure on Mnangagwa’s regime, especially after recent reports by international watchdogs pointing to continued repression, electoral fraud, and abuse of opposition members in the post-2023 election period.
The United States has long maintained that its sanctions on Zimbabwe are not aimed at the general population but are targeted at those undermining democratic institutions.
However, Mnangagwa and his ZANU-PF administration continue to blame sanctions for the country’s prolonged economic crisis, claiming they are unjust and politically motivated.
The Trump memo states that if countries on the list agree to accept deported nationals from the U.S. or sign “safe third country” agreements, they may be spared full implementation of the travel restrictions. It remains unclear whether Harare will comply.
If implemented, the restrictions could further isolate Zimbabwe on the global stage and deepen the rift between Harare and Washington—a relationship already burdened by two decades of mutual distrust and accusations.