Publication

The author of this briefing contends that Zimbabwe must hold elections before the end of June 2013, but the reforms needed to ensure appropriate conditions are critically wanting. The regional organization, the Southern African Development Community, calls for the removal of international sanctions, claiming they are a serious political impediment to reform. Those who have imposed the measures argue the reform deficits justify their continuation, though they have been more symbolic than drivers of change. The author discusses the broader paralysis that characterizes Zimbabwean politics.