Assessment of the role of SADC in the Zimbabwe crisis, 2000 - 2013

Abstract

Despite the United Nations Agenda for peace reinforcing peace and security across the globe, there has been contestation on how to attain global peace. In a bid to combat global insecurity and instability, the UN has put in place regional organizations that deal with peace and security at regional level. However,peace and security in Africa is marred by deficiencies as regional economic communities (RECs) are reluctantly seeking permanent solutions to both intra-state (internal) and inter-state ( external) conflicts in their respective zones. Given the above, thisresearch seeks to analyse issues that fuel and contribute to Zimbabwe's political crisis as well as efforts made by the South African Development Community (SADC) mediation team that led to the formation of the Government of National Unity (GNU) and its subsequent contribution to the country's socio-economic transition path. This is a desktop study in which the researcher used qualitative methods for gathering information. Among other issues, the study identified leadershipas the root cause of the Zimbabwean political problem as evidenced by the return to political and economic normalcy during the GNU era before the resurgenceof socio-economic crisis again soon after the dissolution of the inclusive government following the outcome of 31 July 2013 harmonised elections. Further, some of the contentious clauses of SADC mediated Global Political Agreement of September 2008 were not implemented due to ZANU PF resistance despite numerous pleas from the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) formations.Therefore on the findings the research revealed that the crisis in Zimbabwe was mainly due to leadership and Mugabe who posed as the hero and icon in terms of African politics made it impossible for SADC to rule him out. Failure of SADC to cooperate on security matters when it comes to Zimbabwean crisis shows that SADC protocols only protects the ruling elites and member states than the people. In addition, this study found out that SADC is entirely under the leadership of revolutionary parties who protect each other based on the shared history.Given the above deficiencies there is need for SADC as a regional peace and security intervention body to transform from its ad hoc conflict mediation and resolution mechanism through heads of states and governments to a more tangible, accommodative and inclusive of opposition parties and non-state actors, especially the private sector and civil society organisations. This entails establishing effective institutional structures, organs and systems in order to strengthen the SADC conflict mediation and resolution mechanisms, in resolving internal and external regional crises.