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Zimbabwe: A Promising
National Dialogue Design
and Roadblocks
Peace Healing and Reconciliation Series 1/2019
HEAL ZIMBABWE TRUST
2/1/2019
This brief provides insights on what constitute a national dialogue, why it is necessary, its success
potentials, challenges and possible steps towards an inclusive process in Zimbabwe. Towards a step
in the right direction, President Emerson Mnangagwa, on 22 January 2019, called on political parties,
churches and civic society leaders to a national dialogue platform. Only political parties were,
however, invited to the inaugural dialogue commencement meeting on the 6th of February 2019.
Churches have, on the other hand, mooted their own national dialogue process. The dominant
purpose of both dialogue initiatives and their mandate remains vague to ordinary citizens and to
diverse stakeholders yet the principle of inclusivity underpins successful national dialogues.