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A new study warns that there is currently a low intensity war in Zimbabwe uniquely and often linked to the country's election cycles. The report recommends bold and decisive actions by the African Union and SADC to minimise and eventually eradicate the culture of political violence in Zimbabwe to create a context which will be conducive to a negotiated settlement of the crisis. The study, compiled by the Democracy and Governance programme of the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) in partnership with the African Policy Institute in Nairobi and Pretoria, identifies the sources of political violence to extend beyond ZANU-PF's youth militias, War Veterans, the army, police and intelligence structures. The newest addition to this mayhem is the retaliatory violence of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, which seems to escape the attention of regional and international players. "In an extremely volatile situation, retaliatory violence will make the situation murkier", says Dr Kwandiwe Kondlo, HSRC executive director and editor of the report. "The MDC has no option but to uphold its commitment to a peaceful democratic process." The report notes that Zimbabwe's electoral crisis points to the need for a continental strategy of dealing with post-election crises, setting Africa ablaze, from Kenya to the DRC, Ethiopia to Egypt. It recommends that the AU considers establishing a continental Electoral Commission along the lines of its Human and People's Rights Commission, and an Electoral Court to tackle complex cases like that of Kenya and Zimbabwe. Specific to Zimbabwe, the report calls for the expansion of the Mbeki-led AU/SADC mediation as the best instrument for resolving the crisis. While the mediation may draw from international expertise, it must retain its African essence and character, and work to achieve an executive power-sharing arrangement with definite timeframe and monitoring tools. "As the Zimbabwe crisis reaches a high level of complexity, the mediation need to be complemented and reinforced by an expanded and robust additional capacity", says Dr. Patrick Mutahi of the Africa Policy Institute. Upon the signing of the peace deal, SADC should embark on implementing the recommendations of its executive secretary on a Zimbabwe Economic Recovery Plan while ensuring a buy-in from all parties involved, regionally and internationally. At the heart of the Economic Recovery Plan there will be need for a Zimbabwe land reform strategy to deal with the land question, involving Britain, which has historical obligations to Zimbabwe arising from the Lancaster House Agreement. Finance Ministers of SADC and Regional Finance Institutions, such as the Development Bank of Southern Africa, and African Development Bank have to spearhead the financing of the recovery plan, including liaising with and providing a conduit for financial support in the post-crisis reconstruction. The study recommends that the international community, including the European Union, the United States, China and the UN Security Council should consider pushing for multilateral sanctions targeting both ZANU-PF and the MDC to commit themselves to AU resolution calling for the end of violence and peaceful negotiations to achieve an inclusive government of national unity. The study is based on the analysis of documents, interviews with strategic policy makers and practitioners across the continent, and the coverage of critical regional meetings and field presence in Zimbabwe. The report was released at a media briefing on Thursday, 10 July in Johannesburg. Download the report  For more information, or to set up interviews, contact: Ina van der Linde
Media Liaison, HSRC
Tel: +27 (0)12 302 2024
Cell phone: 082 331 0614
E-mail: ivdlinde@hsrc.ac.za
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