Chipangano Governance: Enablers and Effects of Violent Extraction in Zimbabwe

Abstract

Chipangano, a militia group that emerged between 1999 and 2001, uses violence to govern space and resources in Mbare, a section of Harare. Through its alleged association with the na-tion’s ruling party, and the party’s denial of the organization’s existence, its members manage to avoid prosecution for its illegal activities and usurpation of control. Apart from the media, few have paid attention to Chipangano, perhaps owing to fear of researching the organization, the state’s stance on it, and its elusive nature. Secondary data from media reports and interviews conducted between 2010 and 2012 with civil society actors and Mbare residents shed light on this network’s activities, what influences them, and how this type of governance affects modes of survival.