Community Empowerment and Democracy in Zimbabwe: A Case Study from Binga District.

The development of an “informed and alert electorate” is essential for the establishment of democratic governance in Africa and for the continent's future economic growth. This need is particularly evident in Zimbabwe, which is currently in the midst of an acute political and economic crisis. This paper tells the story of a small community-based organization in a remote part of Zimbabwe, which helped to raise political awareness and consciousness among a dis-advantaged rural population. Because of the threat that it posed to the Mugabe government, the organization was forced to close in October 2002. However, its experience has important lessons for the future development of Zimbabwe—and of Africa as a whole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]