2002 — Zimbabwe Suspended from the Commonwealth

On March 19, 2002, the Commonwealth suspended Zimbabwe for a year, the first public rebuke of Robert Mugabe by a body that included influential African nations. The verdict came from the Commonwealth Troika: Australia's John Howard, South Africa's Thabo Mbeki, and Nigeria's Olusegun Obasanjo, three heads of government acting together.

Commonwealth observers had declared that Zimbabwe's presidential election did not adequately allow for the free expression of the will of the electors. The vote pitted Mugabe against Morgan Tsvangirai amid political violence, intimidation, and land seizures. When the suspension was extended indefinitely in December 2003, Mugabe withdrew Zimbabwe from the Commonwealth entirely.