Paper short abstract:

This paper investigates the non-violent response of youths to the emergence of the Chipangano militia group in Zimbabwe

Paper long abstract:

The Chipangano militia group emerged between 1999 and 2001 in Zimbabwe. The group used violence to govern space and resources in Mbare, a section of Harare. However, not all youths in the Mbare participated in the Chipangano militia movement. Many youths remained politically engaged without becoming members of the Chipangano militia group. This paper sets out to investigate how other organized youth groups navigated the charged political context of Mbare by using non-violent strategies. The paper is based on primary data from interviews with civil society actors and Mbare residents and secondary data from media reports.