| dc.description.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. | en_US |
