The impact of contextual fragility on development in practice: perspectives from Zimbabwe

This article explores the impact of contextual fragility on development in practice in the context of partnership working. The utilisation of oppressive legislation and stringent registration for CSOs by a state fearful of losing political hegemony resulted in limited community participation and CBO reluctance to engage in advocacy activities deemed political despite northern partner eagerness. Financial distress led to a partnership termination, partial and non-implementation of some development activities. Utilising contextual analysis to unmask the heterogeneous nature of fragile contexts can be a valuable starting point in capturing unique complexities and irregularities in each context to inform programme planning.