Zimbabwe: A Promising National Dialogue Design and Roadblocks
Introduction
Beyond offensive international diplomatic actions, court applications and protests, a national dialogue
appears the best alternative to resolve Zimbabwe’s swelling socio-economic and political afflictions.
The country is at crossroads as its political and economic crises deepen. To salvage it from collapse
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 7th of February 2019. Churches have, on the
other hand, mooted their own national dialogue process. The dominant purpose of both dialogue
initiatives, however, remains vague to ordinary citizens and to diverse stakeholders yet the principle
of inclusivity underpins such developments. This brief, therefore, provides insights on what
constitute a national dialogue, why it is necessary, its success potentials, challenges and possible steps
towards an inclusive process.
The call to dialogue followed an intensified political crisis triggered by fuel price hikes leading to
countrywide protests between the 14th and 16th of January 2019. The protests were responded with
repression and heavy-handedness by state security agents. The Human Rights NGO Forum
“recorded at least 844
human rights violations
during the shutdown.
Consolidated statistics
so
far
following
reveals
the
violations:
killings (at least 12);
injuries from gunshots
(at least 78), assault,
torture, inhumane and
degrading
treatment
including dog bites (at
least 242), destruction
of property including
vandalism and looting
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