Mupedzanhamo market as a hive of political violence
- Author
- William, Ropafadzo E.
- Title
- Mupedzanhamo market as a hive of political violence
- Abstract
-
The purpose of this study was to understand how the Mupedzanhamo market has become a hive of political violence, to explore the intricate dynamics of political and economic violence at Mupedzanhamo Market in Harare, Zimbabwe. The study used a political opportunity structure theory as a theoretical framework. The study was grounded on a critical realist philosophy and employed a mixed method approach. A case study design was used as a research design. The population sample were vendors and market officials from Mupedzanhamo market. The study used a sampling size of 30 respondents. The research used questionnaires and interviews to collect data. The first objective of the research was to identify the key factors contributing to violence at Mupedzanhamo market. The second objective was to assess the impact of political violence on the livelihoods of vendors. The third objective was to identify existing coping mechanism employed by vendors in response to political violence. The last objective investigate how political actors manipulate and exploit the market for political gain. The research findings reveal that political rivalries and economic competition significantly exacerbate violence, leading to severe consequences for vendors including economic losses, business closure and psychological tolls. The study also highlights the role of political actors in manipulating Mupedzanhamo market dynamics for electoral gain. The study recommends for the strengthening of conflict resolution mechanisms, mental health services provision and promoting political neutrality among other things for mitigating violence and promoting a stable marketplace. Future studies can look at psychological impacts of economic instability and social policies.
- Date
- March 2025
- Publisher
- BUSE
- Keywords
- political violence
- Supervisor
- Dr Zembere
- Item sets
- Department of Peace and Governance
- Media
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William, Ropafadzo.pdf