Mnangagwa’s Missed Opportunities for Reconciliation

Mandlenkosi Ndlovu () and Christopher Ndlovu
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Mandlenkosi Ndlovu: Lupane State University
Christopher Ndlovu: Lupane State University

A chapter in Making Politics in Zimbabwe’s Second Republic, 2023, pp 45-63 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract This chapter examines the seemingly static ‘transition’ from the First Republic under former president, Robert Mugabe, to the so-called ‘Second Republic’ led by Emmerson Mnangagwa, with specific reference to reconciliation. The ‘Second Republic’ has left many Zimbabweans disillusioned and wondering whether the current levels of intolerance, political exclusion and polarisation in the country are worth the sacrifices they made in facilitating the ‘transition’. What emerges poignantly from the first few years of the ‘Second Republic’ in the office is that Zimbabweans’ expectations for political transformation, as well as for political inclusivity and national reconciliation, remain unfulfilled. It appears that the ‘Second Republic’ is failing to harness the political unity, hope and enthusiasm that was prevalent during the build-up and actual ouster of Mugabe in November 2017 to foster meaningful national reconciliation and political unity. Well into its first five-year term, the ‘Second Republic’ appears to be robust in political rhetoric, but deficient in practice when it comes to pursuing reconciliation, as argued in this chapter. The risks for the Mnangagwa regime, if it were to enact genuine reconciliation as part of his formative project, are quite high as this would bring about serious questions about the very legitimacy of the regime and of Mnangagwa’s leadership of it.

Keywords: Reconciliation; Transition; Justice; Peace; Unity; Mugabeism; Second Republic (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:aaechp:978-3-031-30129-2_3

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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-30129-2_3

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