Photo: Hartmut Sieper/Afribiz ZANU-PF'S popularity among Zimbabweans is increasing while that of its main rival, MDC-T, is plummeting, a survey commissioned by Freedom House, a US-based non-governmental organisation reveals.
The survey results are contained in a report titled "Change and 'New' Politics in Zimbabwe" commissioned by Freedom House.
A local research institute, Mass Public Opinion Institute, conducted the research on behalf of Freedom House.
In its executive summary, the NGO said MDC-T support had fallen from 38 percent to 20 percent between 2010 and this year.
"In terms of the declared survey-based support, it appears the MDC-T has been suffering, falling from 38 percent to 20 percent in the parliamentary vote from 2010 to 2012, in a period of approximately 18 months between the 2010 and 2012 Freedom House surveys.
"In contrast, the survey data points to Zanu-PF having experienced a growth in popular support, moving from 17 percent to 31 percent in the same period," reads part of the report.
The findings of the report showed that Zanu-PF's popularity increased across all the country's 10 provinces since 2010 while that for MDC was waning.
For example in Harare, MDC-T support declined from 50 percent in 2010 to 17 percent, while that for Zanu-PF rose from eight percent to 22 percent.
In Bulawayo, Zanu-PF increased its support from four percent to 15 percent, while that for MDC-T declined from 51 percent to 29 percent.
The NGO noted that 47 percent of the respondents did not declare their voting intentions in the survey, citing secrecy reasons.
Zanu-PF's support was premised on its clarity on policies such as land, indigenisation and foreign interference in Zimbabwe.
"The survey results clearly show that Zanu-PF has crafted for itself a number of effective election and party choice platforms.
"The MDC-T largely relies on its emphasis on change and to some extent civil liberties to achieve such platforms," the report noted.
"The item on defending Zimbabwe against 'foreign interference' shows that this Zanu-PF battle cry finds resonance across the party and undeclared boundaries."
Fifty-two percent of the respondents also said they trusted Zanu-PF compared to 39 percent for MDC-T.
"Zimbabweans in the Freedom House survey cautioned the MDC-T to recapture the popular imagination as agent of change.
"The survey suggested that the MDC-T has lost the edge that it had enjoyed over Zanu-PF," added the report.
Zanu-PF spokesperson Cde Rugare Gumbo said the survey was a reflection of how the revolutionary party had served the people.
"The survey demonstrates the credibility of Zanu-PF policies, principles and history. We are a party oriented towards people. People are now beginning to realise that the MDC-T has no agenda," said Cde Gumbo.
"It's externally funded and its interest is to please its master. People are beginning to see this for themselves."
However, MDC-T spokesperson Mr Douglas Mwonzora, sought to discredit the survey yesterday.
Addressing journalists at Harvest House, the party's headquarters, Mr Mwonzora said in their view, the conditions under which the survey was carried out were difficult to rely upon due to the fact that they were of major fluidity.
He said given the margin of error acknowledged in the report, it was difficult to rely on it to gauge the opinion of Zimbabweans on their political choices.
"We note that a lot of people interviewed refused to disclose their political preferences.
"This is obviously for fear of intimidation and the violence they have been subjected to by Zanu-PF and its military junta.
"The margin of error fundamentally impugns the conclusion that can be derived from this report," said Mr Mwonzora.
"The report is allegedly based on the sample of 1 198 drawn from rural areas and urban areas with the majority being from rural areas. Regrettably, the report does not distinguish between people in communal lands and people who were settled on commercial farms."
He said it was a well-known fact that during the land reform programme, predominantly Zanu-PF supporters benefited from the programme.
On the issue of lack of clear cut programmes, Mr Mwonzora said they were currently conducting a two-day workshop (ending today) of the party's standing committee that will enunciate its elections strategies.
"The MDC-T campaign strategy are going to be announced soon. You will see them, right now we are in a strategic retreat so you will see them," he said.
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It is in the way that the Zanu pf unshakable position on emancipation policies has had real positive improvements on the common man in the streets that we see a report from the US of such concern!The failure by the opposition to extinquish the fire that it advocated for in form of "targeted sanctions",has done no good to its fallacy of human rights abuses and media freedoms!It has failed to participate in home grown solutions deliberately sidelining itself from land reform and indeginisation policies, because they are of no benefit to their sponsers!The opposition politics has been shrouded by lack of a clear vision as demonstrated by its quastionable policies on employment creation promises,whilst ironicaly supporting draconian ZIDERA!This US act,discourages funding ,in what ever form,from US loyal institutions to foreign investors seeking to do bussiness in Zimbabwe!It is not clear why it insists to correct the damage, it has caused and still supports, only after Zimbabweans manage to sell out through a scandolous vote in the coming elections!The deliberate support of the illegal sanction regime is a strategy to subotage any economic revival under the status quo by economicaly hitting at any attempt!Whilst the unemployment remains a tool aiding its propaganda,its lack of participation in improving workers plight from a corrupt corporate in the private sector is not surprising!Zimbabweans have been employed before by the same blue chip corporates who did nothing in return to a hard working workforce which gave them financial might on the wallstreet and London stock exchange!By promising to bring back employment under the same outdated remuneration regime,it exposes its lack of sustainable developmental ideals for employees who are already being transformed by the indigenisation employee share ownership and community based trusts!Taking a look at the unfortunate South Africa,s Marikana mine shootings,its sheer pity for an opposition that is struggling to bring back harsh working conditions and poor remuneration in a vein named foreign direct investment!It is unfortunate that the opposition aligned media forms part of this economic suicide guised as regime change!Its just for the journalism jobs and the dollar!
It is in the way that the Zanu pf unshakable position on emancipation policies has had real positive improvements on the common man in the streets that we see a report from the US of such concern!The failure by the opposition to extinquish the fire that it advocated for in form of "targeted sanctions",has done no good to its fallacy of human rights abuses and media freedoms!It has failed to participate in home grown solutions deliberately sidelining itself from land reform and indeginisation policies, because they are of no benefit to their sponsers!The opposition politics has been shrouded by lack of a clear vision as demonstrated by its quastionable policies on employment creation promises,whilst ironicaly supporting draconian ZIDERA!This US act,discourages funding ,in what ever form,from US loyal institutions to foreign investors seeking to do bussiness in Zimbabwe!It is not clear why it insists to correct the damage, it has caused and still supports, only after Zimbabweans manage to sell out through a scandolous vote in the coming elections!The deliberate support of the illegal sanction regime is a strategy to subotage any economic revival under the status quo by economicaly hitting at any attempt!Whilst the unemployment remains a tool aiding its propaganda,its lack of participation in improving workers plight from a corrupt corporate in the private sector is not surprising!Zimbabweans have been employed before by the same blue chip corporates who did nothing in return to a hard working workforce which gave them financial might on the wallstreet and London stock exchange!By promising to bring back employment under the same outdated remuneration regime,it exposes its lack of sustainable developmental ideals for employees who are already being transformed by the indigenisation employee share ownership and community based trusts!Taking a look at the unfortunate South Africa,s Marikana mine shootings,its sheer pity for an opposition that is struggling to bring back harsh working conditions and poor remuneration in a vein named foreign direct investment!It is unfortunate that the opposition aligned media forms part of this economic suicide guised as regime change!Its just for the journalism jobs and the dollar!