Authors: Machakanja, P. and Ott, M. (2013)

Research Title: The SADC WE NEED: Towards Values – Based Regional Integration and Development

Abstract

The research examined the core values of SADC. It sought first, to gain an understanding of the values that people live and cherish and second, it examined the extent to which SADC citizens are committed to the observance of the bloc’s founding values. The study revealed a heterogeneous landscape regarding commitment to the values and their impact on the configurations of the democratization process and the socio-economic modernization trends. Despite the progress made with integration of the SADC member states and emerging interactive trading partnerships, there is evidence of a slow pace in implementation and impact. Research results revealed varying degrees of enabling environments in member states to facilitate full regional integration, in particular with the private sector. Empirical evidence showed that member states need collective political commitment to embrace the popular values of their citizens, and to take seriously, the values laid down in the SADC Treaty. Member states show differences in the establishment and operationalization of SADC National Committees and the strengthening of RISDP/SIPO implementing structures. Also evident is the need for SADC institutional reforms with a focus on strengthening SADC governance, decision making and management structures particularly the capacities and competencies of the SADC Secretariat. From the study we learn that regional integration based on shared and common values could form a new development paradigm for the SADC region-as long as it is driven by pragmatism and the openness to accept the political and cultural changes of citizens. There are suggestions that the most successful countries in the world owe their success to deeper regional integration based on shared values; hence SADC’s quest to deepen its regional integration agenda should be anchored on the common values of its citizens.

Authors: Machakanja, P. and Mungure, S. (2013)

Abstract

Mapping Transitional Justice Actors in Zimbabwe is an incisive optic into transitional politics during the life of Zimbabwe`s Government of National Unity. It highlights the turbulence of transitional processes and the multiple stakeholders that have characterised the post- Global Political agreement Zimbabwe. In mapping the hierarchies of the transitional justice actors, the book reveals the vertical, lateral and horizontal vertices of power and the forms of alternative justice given state and non-state partisanship. The grounded empirical and conceptual issues on transitional justice in Zimbabwe are tailored to make a good read for activists. Practitioners, scholars and policy-makers and allows for positive depolarisation of strategies, discourse and policies.