202: viewing Zimbabwe positively from next door

I've been eyeing recent headlines about Zimbabwe's electoral fallout with some trepidation, but today's linked article from South Africa's Business Day newspaper offers an optimistic perspective. (It's also informative for those of us outside the Southern African region, as it gives a little more background than most coverage and some analysis of the dynamics affecting Zimbabwean politics.) It's not the sort of article that can be summarized, to be honest, so you'll have to click the title above to read it! Suffice to say that the writer sees hopeful signs - for example, in the pressure from some of Zimbabwe's neighbours, in the recent confirmation of an MDC parliamentary majority, and in the actions of local unions and others over the Chinese arms shipment. That's right, of course - a peaceful transition in Zimbabwe remains possible, even if it may look unlikely, and hope must be kept alive.