Power Sharing and Political Inclusion in Post-Accord Democracies: Lessons from Zimbabwe and Kenya

Abstract

Power sharing and political inclusion have long been espoused as solutions for states where ethnic, religious, or racial divides threaten to undermine a democratic transition. This type of resolution is designed to provide all parties and social groups a voice in decision-making processes, ameliorating the effects of the winner-take-all nature of some electoral competition. While the potential benefits of such an approach have been acknowledged, concerns remain that it is merely a stopgap device toward violent conflict rather than a lasting political resolution. The power-sharing and political inclusion agreements adopted in Zimbabwe and Kenya in 2008 offer lessons on the potential effects of such initiatives on democratic transitions and governance, and in some respects, the tragedy of democracies in Africa, where a number of conflict situations emanate from election impasses.