Is Zimbabwe any closer to regime change?
The ‘pendulum politics’ of Mugabe’s reign could be nearing an end.
The longer an authoritarian regime is in power, the more fraught the politics of succession. Zimbabwe is a good example. Patronage networks and institutional capture result in a zero-sum game, making a peaceful transfer of power difficult.
This seminar will consider what Zimbabwe’s constitution says about succession and the somewhat confused provisions of ZANU-PF’s own constitution. In the last 15 years, Mugabe’s reign has been characterised by ‘pendulum politics’, with the ascendancy of one group over the other changing with increasing frequency. Could the recent swing of the pendulum in favour of Emmerson Mnangagwa’s ‘Lacoste’ group be the last oscillation?
Chair: Stephanie Wolters, Head, Peace and Security Research Programme, ISS Pretoria
Speaker: Derek Matyszak, Senior Research Consultant, Peace and Security Research Programme, ISS Pretoria
