By Stephanie Hanson. Council on Foreign Relations, 2008.
Zimbabwe seems to teeter at the edge of instability, and the rapidly expanding politicization of the security sector is further undermining civil-military relations, military professionalism, and the structure of the state. According to this backgrounder from the Council on Foreign Relations, leading military officials and officers have been ceded control of key aspects of the economy, and represent the ruling party in negotiations with the opposition. Loyalty within and between the services has also suffered. Poor morale in the lower ranks threatens command and control and the intelligence services and army continue to battle for control of several government offices. These disturbing developments substantially elevate Zimbabwe’s “securocrats” as critical points of influence in the country’s uncertain future, the piece concludes.
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