Alexander Noyes, who wrote a dissertation on power-sharing in Kenya and Zimbabwe for the MSc in African Studies at Oxford University, has published an article on ‘Zimbabwe’s unsavoury path to peace’ published in the New York Times.
In the article, Alex argues that ‘The current power-sharing government between Mr. Mugabe and the opposition prime minister, Morgan Tsvangirai, has brought relative calm and economic stability to Zimbabwe since its formation in early 2009. However, the far from united “unity government” has failed to make any meaningful progress on the issue of how to deal with the so-called securocrats. Addressing this thorny question is the key to a peaceful democratic transition in Zimbabwe.’Oxford University, has published an article on ‘Zimbabwe’s unsavoury path to peace’ published in the New York Times.
On the basis that the hardliners in ZANU-PF will not move away from authoritarian strategies until their own positions are protected, he suggests that ‘A successful negotiated solution must therefore include two key “sunset clauses” for the securocrats: immunity from prosecution for political crimes and assurances that they could keep enough of their accumulated wealth to live comfortably for the rest of their lives’, concludes that ‘Granting amnesty and affluence to egregious human rights abusers may seem like an unpalatable trade-off, but it is the only viable avenue to securing a full and peaceful democratic transition in Zimbabwe.’
To read the full article, click here.
For an earlier newspaper article by myself and Miles Tendi that was first published in Africa Report and was later reprinted in the Zimbabwe mail click here.
To read my academic article on power-sharing in Kenya and Zimbabwe click here.
(As always, if you have trouble accessing the paper please email me directly).
