AFROBAROMETER’s latest report has revealed mixed public perceptions of Zimbabwe’s democracy over the past five years, with one in five citizens believing the country has become more democratic under President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration.
Although the findings might suggest that some Zimbabweans believe there has been progress in the country’s democratic agenda, a significant portion remains unconvinced.
According to the report, 20% of respondents believe Zimbabwe has become more democratic over the past five years, while 25% say the country has become less democratic.
A further 41% believe the level of democracy has remained unchanged, pointing to a mixed public assessment of the country’s political trajectory.
Zanu PF is enjoying a purple patch in local politics, dominating local authority and Parliamentary elections; developments that have allowed it to cement its hold on power.
The opposition, on the other hand, seems lost, offering very little resistance to amendments, laws and policies that have raised eyebrows in the period under review.
“Most Zimbabweans prefer democracy to any other form of government, the latest Afrobarometer survey shows. Support is higher in the countryside than in cities,” reads the report.
“But fewer than half think that the country is a “full democracy” or a “democracy with minor problems,” while the same share consider Zimbabwe to be undemocratic.
“One in four respondents think that it has become less democratic over the past five years, and four in 10 think the level of democracy is unchanged.
“Nonetheless, seven in 10 citizens say that democracy has not been threatened over the last five years.”
The findings form part of Afrobarometer’s latest assessment of Zimbabweans’ attitudes towards democracy, governance and political institutions.
The survey also found that seven in every 10 Zimbabweans had never felt concerned that democracy was under threat during the past five years of Mnangagwa’s rule.
Mnangagwa’s regime will take this as a win, considering the bad boy tag that has followed him since taking over from late President Robert Mugabe in a November 2017 military-led coup.
