Managing Conflict in Africa: Processes, Challenges and Prospects

The current crisis and unending talks between bickering political parties in Zimbabwe, Africa and other third world countries prompted us in the Zimbabwe Open University, Masvingo Campus Academic Research and Publications Coordinating Committee (ZOU MC ARPCC) to think of researching and writing a text on conflict management for tertiary curricula. This is the product of the effort. Our intention is to inculcate new thinking and progressive ways of dealing with conflict among youth and other stakeholders. The African political terrain has been characterized by intolerance, violence, murders and sexual abuse among other inhuman behaviours. Right from the imposition of colonialism through the first chimurengas, the armed struggles (second chimurengas), gukurahwindis, and the imposed economic structural adjustment programmes (ESAPs) to the current political impasse, it has been violence through and through. We strongly believe that there is a better way to deal with our differences. We pray to God that one day sanity will prevail.