29 January 2019

Thinking Beyond: A Call for Articles

We are kindly requesting for submission of articles for the next edition of your popular
journal Thinking Beyond.

MISA Zimbabwe will pay a token fee of $50 for each published article. Please note that
submitted articles should not be more than 1 200 words.

Kindly remember to include a brief professional profile of yourself at the end of submitted
articles, email address and cellphone contact details. We also require a passport size
photograph of yourself which will be used as a picture by-line if your article is published.

Email: misa@misazim.co.zw.

Deadline for submission of articles: Friday, 8 February 2018.

Theme: National Dialogue: Panacea to Zimbabwean Crisis?

SUMMARY NOTE:

As Zimbabwe’s socio-economic and political environment continues to deteriorate, there are

increasing calls for National Dialogue to rescue Zimbabwe from the precipice and avert its implosion.

The crescendo in the calls for dialogue come in the wake of an increasingly restless citizenry
struggling to make ends meet resulting in the violent protests, demonstrations and lootings that
tore the country in August 2018 and this year in January.

Regrettably, lives were when security forces were deployed to quell the demonstrations, sparking
local, regional and international outrage on the disproportionate use of force against unarmed
civilians by security personnel.

This also comes on the backdrop of the findings and recommendations of the Mothlanthe
Commission of Inquiry into the August 2018 killing of six civilians of which the army was blamed for
the deaths.
These unfolding events, notwithstanding the stalled pace of the envisaged economic and political
reforms and the disputed 2018 elections outcome, have placed Zimbabwe at the crossroads hence
the increasing calls for inclusive national dialogue.

Our theme for the next edition of Thinking Beyond - National Dialogue: Panacea to Zimbabwean
Crisi s - seeks to generate ideas and debate on the shape, form, content, course and actions the
envisaged dialogue should take.

Submitted articles should therefore be within the realm of the suggested topics listed beneath.

 Why the need for National Dialogue: Goal and Outcomes

 Who determines the Terms of Reference.
 How should this be structured: form, content and scope of the envisaged dialogue.
 Setting the agenda: what are the issues and why they should be subjected to national
discourse.
 Who are the key players/stakeholders and why?
 Minimum pre-conditions to convening national dialogue.
 How do you ensure inclusivity: who gets invited to the table.
 Who should be entrusted with the mediation process and why.
 The role of SADC, African Union, United Nations and the international community.
 Conflict resolution: role and mandate of political parties, business, civic society,
church/women’s groups, youths.
 Are we headed for the second negotiated Global Political Agreement?
 Lessons from the SADC/Government of National Unity (GNU) Mediation Process and
Convention for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA).
 Lowering the political temperatures: the media and conflict sensitive journalism.
 Gender and National Dialogue: the issues.
 The essence and skills of negotiations.

END