Unpacking the historic power - sharing deal

The deal is a complex one and the protracted nature of the negotiations confirms the challenges that were inherent in constructing a "win-win" transaction balancing the interests of a class of personalities that hitherto had no basis to share the same negotiating space.

Zimbabwe is not the first conflict-ravaged country to face similar challenges and overcome them. Indeed, only 28 years ago, the country faced a somewhat similar challenge and in the final analysis, negotiations saved the day and out of the Lancaster House conference, with all its acknowledged imperfections, emerged an outcome that allowed the transfer of power to take place.