Yes peace, democracy please : An analysis of the process of democratisation in Mozambique from 1994 – 2012

Abstract

Mozambique has made a stunning revival – after a 16 year civil war the country has remained peaceful for twenty years during its phase of democratisation, in contrast to many other postconflict democratising countries. What explains this stability? By looking at the political institutions and actors during this period, this thesis identifies three major processes explaining this stability - the dominance of Frelimo, the successful transformation of Renamo and an ongoing willingness of politicians and citizens to participate within the system. Despite these stabilising factors, there are also worrisome trends. An increasing dissatisfaction with the current political system, deteriorating democratic institutions and a decline in voter turnout show that democracy has not been firmly anchored in the country.