Power sharing in Africa
The political arrangement in Zimbabwe between Zanu PF and the MDC has challenged those of us who are more idealistic than pragmatic. Some people say the arrangement is a good thing believing that it will put bread back on the table. Others, like a man who walked into my office the other day, said that democracy has been eaten up and crapped out.
The President of Botswana, Ian Khama recently described developments in Zimbabwe and Kenya as “bad precedents for the democracy in the continent.”
Writing for ISN Security Watch, Edoardo Totolo discusses power sharing in Africa. Here’s an excerpt
Power sharing, therefore, is a dilemma for post-conflict development theorists: It represents a compromise that can halt conflict and save lives in the short-term at the expense of good-governance and long-term political stability.