South Africa, having previously been banned from competition by the other African nations, was invited to the games for the first time after the fall of the Apartheid regime.

Mozambique's World Champion 800 meter runner Maria de Lurdes Mutola won her specialty in Harare.

Women's diving and netball were to be included but were reduced to demonstration sports due to a lack of entries.

At the closing ceremonies the torch was passed to Johannesburg, South Africa to begin preparations for the VIIth All-Africa Games in 1999.

*   Host nation (Zimbabwe)Discus thrower Adewale Olukoju and sprinter Mary Onyali became the first athletes to win four All-Africa gold medals.