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The Impact of Fragility on Social Services: The Case of Zimbabwean State, 2000–2008

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State Fragility and State Building in Africa

Part of the book series: United Nations University Series on Regionalism ((UNSR,volume 10))

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Abstract

This chapter explores the causes, nature and extent of failure of the Zimbabwean state to meet its obligations between 2000 and 2008. It approaches state fragility through lenses of the service delivery capacity dimension. It will examine the causes for state fragility, the in/actions that precipitated the fragility and the scope and extent of state fragility. The chapter analyzes the decline in service delivery in the three sectors of education, health and agriculture. The study relies on secondary data including statistical indicators generated by the government of Zimbabwe, United Nations agencies, World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). It argues that the inherited colonial structural inequalities and exclusion in access to public services – based on race – established the root causes for state failure; and the post-independence policies, misappropriation of state resources, military adventurism and international isolation precipitated the decline of state delivery capacity. Regional intervention was significant in preventing further decline and instigating efforts to reconstitute the service delivery capability of the state.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Political and Administrative Studies, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana

    Norbert Musekiwa

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  1. Norbert Musekiwa
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Correspondence to Norbert Musekiwa .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Global Peace Compact, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Dele Olowu

  2. OSSREA, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    Paulos Chanie

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Musekiwa, N. (2016). The Impact of Fragility on Social Services: The Case of Zimbabwean State, 2000–2008. In: Olowu, D., Chanie, P. (eds) State Fragility and State Building in Africa. United Nations University Series on Regionalism, vol 10. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-20642-4_5

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