Power Sharing as a Tool for Resolving Electoral Violence: Revisiting the Zimbabwean Experience

This paper uses Hartzell and Hoddie’s four dimensions of power-sharing to analyse the implementation of the 2008 power-sharing in Zimbabwe and its impact on electoral violence. It interrogates the resolving of the Zimbabwean electoral violence through the use of power-sharing deal between the opposition and the ruling party. The theoretical explanations why electoral violence would occur in a country ruled by an authoritarian leadership suggests that, autocratic governments use electoral violence as a way of influencing the electoral outcome. The other position suggests that the weaker political party is the one responsible for electoral violence as it enjoys the monopoly of being the victim. This study dispels the notion that power-sharing has any impact on resolving electoral violence permanently, we argue that the resolving election dispute through power-sharing does not resolve the differences between warring parties rather, it gives temporary peace. The findings of this study support the position of the electoral authoritarian theoretical perspective that autocratic government will use violence and all the means necessary to ensure that they return the power

Revisiting Electoral Violence in Zimbabwe: Problems and Prospects

This study explores theoretical contradictions with realism, regarding the actors or perpetrators of violence when explaining the causes of electoral violence in the Zimbabwean context. These perspectives can be divided into two contesting schools of thought. The first group is mainly made up of rational theories and holds the position that, autocratic governments use electoral violence as a way of influencing electoral outcome. The second position suggests that the weaker political party is the one responsible for electoral violence. This paper then, contributes to the ongoing debate on the causes of electoral violence by advancing the notion that electoral violence should not be seen based on one position but from a multifaceted position. This is because, neither of the two theoretical approaches are wrong but what differs is the context. This paper argues that the idealism of holding one position hinders policy analysis to electoral violence, monitoring and observing election process as it places either, the ruling party or the opposition party as a unit of analysis

Role of social workers in mitigating the effects of climate change in Makonde communal lands, Zimbabwe

Climate change is among the most vital environmental aspects that the human community is endowed with. Climate as a factor of life is particularly strong to low income rural communities whose livelihoods heavily depend on rain-fed subsistence agriculture like Makonde communal lands. The purpose of social work within the context of climate change is to enhance community expertise and empower members for participation in the decision-making process through all stages of risk assessment, rescue, planning and intervention for recovery and preparedness. This paper sought to explore the role of social workers in mitigating the effects of climate change in Makonde communal lands of Zimbabwe. The objectives of the study were to identify what roles if any are social workers playing in mitigating the effects of climate change and if not, what are the impediments in that sphere. A qualitative research approach was followed within the traditional framework of descriptive and exploratory designs. Simple random, purposive and snowballing sampling techniques were used to gather twenty-five participants in the study. The Thematic Content Analysis was followed to analyse data inductively. The study found that Social Workers are not directly involved in climate change interventions in the Makonde area owing it to lack of training on climate change issues. The study recommends that climate change falls within the purview of the social work practice therefore social workers must take the lead in supporting families and communities affected by climate change following the values, knowledge base, skills and principles of the profession

Analysis of gender responsiveness of climate change response strategies in the Southern African development community (SADC) region

This paper sought to explore the gender responsiveness of climate change response strategies in the Southern African Development Community region. There is undisputable acknowledgement that all SADC countries are vulnerable to climate change impacts despite their low contribution to carbon gas emissions that cause climate change. Women are more encumbered by climate change effects than men due to poverty, low literacy levels, lack of adaptive capacity, ascribed gender roles and cultural discrimination patterns that promote patriarchal dominance. Arguably, the gendered differential vulnerability between women and men to climate change impacts is absent in most climate policy frameworks in SADC. The objective of the study was to establish the responsiveness of climate change policies to gender dimensions in the SADC region. The study followed a literature review as research methodology. Secondary data sources were purposively reviewed through the selection of relevant sources by the researchers which led to the identification of other sources guided by common themes and keywords. Data was analysed through the discourse analysis. The study established that most climate change response strategies in SADC demonstrated apt consideration of the roles of women in climate change mitigation and adaptation. It was concluded that women are recognised as vulnerable populations and their contribution in devising sustainable climate change solutions is overlooked at policy levels. The study recommended that climate change interventions can only be effective when they mainstream gender and acknowledge the contribution of women as agents of social change and most SADC countries are still lagging behind

Harnessing of Social Capital as a Determinant for Climate Change Adaptation in Mazungunye Communal Lands in Bikita, Zimbabwe

The livelihoods of rural people have been plagued by the precarious impacts of climate change–related disasters manifesting through floods, heat waves, droughts, cyclones, and erratic temperatures. However, they have not remained passive victims to these impacts. In light of this, rural people are on record of employing a plethora of adaptation strategies to cushion their livelihoods from climate change impacts. In this vew, the role of social capital as a determinant of climate change adaptation is underexplored. Little attention has been paid to how social capital fostered through trust and cooperation amongst rural households and communities is essential for climate change adaptation. This study explored how people in Mazungunye communal lands are embracing social capital to adapt to climate change impacts. The researchers adopted a qualitative research approach guided by the descriptive research design. The population of the study was gathered through simple random and purposive sampling techniques. Accordingly, the population sample consisted of 25 research participants drawn from members of the community following the simple random and purposive sampling techniques. In-depth individual interviews and focus group discussions were used to collect data. Data were analysed through the Thematic Content Analysis. This study established that different forms of social capital are being embraced by the community members to withstand the effects of climate change. These include village savings clubs (fushai), chief’s granary (Zunde raMambo), collective field work (nhimbe), and destocking of livestock (kuronzera) strategies. These strategies illustrate community reliance on indigenous knowledge adaptation strategies as a community response to impacts of climate change on their livelihoods

Challenges faced by rural people in mitigating the effects of climate change in the Mazungunye communal lands, Zimbabwe

The phenomenon of climate change is one of the most contested and debated concepts globally. Some governments still deny the existence of climate change and its impact on rural–urban areas around the world. However, the effects of climate change have been visible in rural Zimbabwe, with some communities facing food insecurity, water scarcity and loss of livestock. Climate change has impacted negatively on agriculture, which is the main source of livelihood in Zimbabwe’s rural communities. This study aims at exploring challenges faced by rural people in mitigating the effects of climate change in the Mazungunye community, Masvingo Province, in Zimbabwe. The objectives of the study were to identify the challenges that impede effective adaptation of rural people to climate change hazards and to examine their perceptions on how to foster effective adaptation. The researchers conducted a qualitative research study guided by descriptive and exploratory research designs. Purposive sampling was employed to draw the population of the study. The population sample consisted of 26 research participants drawn from members of the community. Data was collected through in-depth individual interviews and focus group discussions. Thematic content analysis was used to analyse data. The findings of the study revealed the following challenges: unpredictability of indigenous knowledge systems, lack of resources and technoscience adaptive methods, lack of support to implement viable mitigation strategies, lack of information about resilience and adaptive capacity to climate change. This study has significance to policymakers and other stakeholders concerned with devising and implementing policies and programmes that are responsive to rural people’s needs in the climate change terrain, tapping into their presenting challenges as a departure point for intervention. The study recommended that the most important way to help rural poor people adapt to climate change is through the provision of information; immediate response to needs and climate-smart agricultural policies.https://doi.org/10.4102/jamba.v11i1.59

Social workers’ intervention during natural hazards

Social work profession is anchored on theory and practice and has both primary and secondary methods of interventions. The knowledge base of social work is constituted by values, principles, theories, skills and techniques. Globally, social work scholars have developed paradigms, theories, approaches, perspectives, models, techniques, skills and principles that could be applied in a variety of settings to various social ills for the benefit of clients in communities. Thus, this study was aimed at exploring social workers’ intervention during natural hazards. The researchers used an interpretative qualitative research approach and case study design. Moreover, five social workers who provide psychosocial counselling and social relief of distress were purposively sampled to participate in this study. Data were collected through individual semi-structured interviews and analysed thematically. The study found that social workers use three primary methods of social work: casework, group work and community work. Furthermore, the participants stated that they play roles such as educator, counsellor and broker when dealing with victims of natural hazards. Based on the findings, the researchers have noted that not all social workers are active in providing psychosocial counselling to the victims of natural hazards. As such, the researchers recommend more workshops to educate all social workers that social workers have an important role to perform in the midst of natural hazards

The Importance of Social Work Roles in Disaster Risk Management in Zimbabwe

This study was aimed at exploring the efficacy of social work roles in disaster risk management in Zimbabwe in the face of climatic changes. It was carried out in Binga district, Matebeleland-North province using the qualitative methodology and a case study design. The study sample was comprised of 8 practicing social workers. Snowballing and purposive sampling techniques were used to select these participants. Data were collected through in-depth interviews using an interview guide. Thematic content analysis was employed to analyze the collected data. It was found that social workers play essential roles before, during and after disasters. On disaster preparedness, it was established that social workers assume roles of educators, community workers and disaster planners. Moreover, it was found that they play the roles of case managers, administrators of social protection and counselors during the disaster response phase of disaster risk management. Subsequently they also act as advocates, development facilitators as well as monitoring and evaluation personnel in the disaster recovery phase. As per the findings, the study recommends that social workers be recognized as essential in disaster risk management at both policy and practice level. Further, there is need to enhance social work training education for flexibility and contextual application of social work knowledge in the field of disaster risk management for quality realization of green social work in Zimbabwe

Internationalisation of Education in the Age of Global Pandemic: Challenges and Prospects

The outbreak of corona virus has created all sorts of ramifications for higher education in South Africa and the world at large. In this case not only the faculty of humanities was affected but all the faculties were affected as the disease has made the plight of students to be a serious concern. Students the world over have been left in a sticky situation amid the corona virus outbreak as government policies and social distancing measures lead to campuses closing. This has resulted in both local and International students leaving for their home. The situation remains uncertain on how the government is going to treat the migrant students and staff who come from all over the world. This chapter highlights some of the challenges that comes with Internationalisation of education like varying cultures, xenophobia, untrained teaching staff; students' assessment and compatibility with Online Distance Learning (ODL). These are challenges which are going to be faced with different universities in South Africa and across the globe. Hence, we advocate for different universities to take pandemic pedagogy as an opportunity to offer and adjust their programmes to online teaching. In this chapter we advance the adoption of ADDIE model as an instrument to use in designing effective online curriculum. These are a snippet view of how institutions can overcome the lockdown and carter as well for their International students in the days of uncertainty regarding mobility in the future. However, with good strategies stated above the future of education is certain. The pandemic is both a curse and an opportunity for universities to adjust to ODL and enhance their preparedness

Review of Disaster Response Strategies for Sustainable Development in the Wake of Flood Risks in Zimbabwe's Rural-urban Settlements

This paper aims to review the disaster response strategies implemented by the Government of Zimbabwe to mitigate the effects of floods in between 2016 and 2019. The daunting impacts of climate change are manifesting through floods, hurricanes, heat waves and drought in Sub Saharan Africa. As such, Zimbabwe is on record of falling victim to floods caused by torrential rains. Floods that struck Zimbabwe had calamitous consequences recorded where hundreds of people died, thousands displaced, infrastructure was destroyed, and people left vulnerable to diseases. Despite the country's participation in International and regional conventions that recognizes climate change impacts and the need to develop modest disaster preparedness and recovery plans, Zimbabwe has been crawling to proactively formulate and implement disaster recovery mechanisms. As such, the country has been ravaged by floods unprepared where reactive disaster response strategies would be ignited. Having said that, this paper examined how the Government of Zimbabwe responded to the unusual occurrences of flash floods in both rural and urban settlements. The empirical analysis is based largely on data from databases such as the national surveys and literature. This paper argues that there is a robust need for the country to invest in disaster risk and recovery plans and disaster early warning systems where communities are not ambushed by gruelling occurrence of floods and its associated risks