The 2013 Elections in Zimbabwe: The End of an Era

Abstract

The July 31st 2013 Elections in Zimbabwe ushered in a renewed period of political
\ndomination by ZANU(PF) and its President, Robert Mugabe. This election followed five years
\nof a SADC- facilitated Global Political Agreement (GPA), which was put into place after a
\ncontested presidential run-off election in June 2008. The recent elections, which once again
\nestablished ZANU(PF)’s mastery over the country’s political domain, were passed as free
\nand peaceful by SADC and the African Union but contested by both Movement for
\nDemocratic Change parties and the western countries.While there were clear problems in the
\nprocess leading to the election, it is also apparent that this was not the only factor that
\ndetermined ZANU(PF)’S ‘victory’. This article provides an analysis of the multiple factors
\nthat contributed to the current conjuncture including the different party strategies under
\nthe GPA, changes in Zimbabwe’s political economy and interventions at regional and
\ninternational levels.