Zimbabwe: Moving towards a negotiated transition?

Political and economic decay in Zimbabwe has become one of the major problems confronting post-apartheid Southern Africa and seriously threatens Africa's resolve to address democratic issues and re-invent its international image. According to Africa's critics and many of its Northern supporters, the lack of assertive action towards Zimbabwe is indicative of the fact that NEPAD and the African Union will be unable to amount to anything more than rhetoric. Despite humanitarian crises and overwhelming pressure for reform, Mr. Mugabe remains in power and apparently continues to enjoy the support of influential regional players. Increasing internal pressure and political dissent from pro-democracy forces have not compelled Mugabe's regime to concede that a crisis exists. How has this regime, which shows increasingly little regard for democratic principles, human rights, rule of law and political pluralism managed to cling to power even when change appears inevitable? asks this report from the Political Information & Monitoring Service of Idasa.