Governance

Despite most Zimbabweans expressing discontent with the overall direction of the country, in terms of its deteriorating economic performance as well as rising corruption, the majority still approve of President Robert Mugabe’s leadership performance. His approval rating has only decreased slightly since it was last measured in 2012.. This persistent positive evaluation of the president stands in stark contrast to the growing opinion that Zimbabwe, as a country, is headed in the wrong direction.

Findings from Round 6 survey in Zambia.

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The percentage of Zambian citizens who recognize the legitimacy of the courts of law has declined from 79% in 2012 to 68% in 2014. The most recent Afrobarometer survey found that the percentage of Zambians who do not trust the judiciary  has also declined from 62% in 2012 to 59% in 2014.

New findings from Afrobarometer, based on surveys conducted in an unprecedented 34 African countries between October 2011 and June 2013, reveal widespread dissatisfaction with current economic conditions despite a decade of strong growth.

Annual GDP growth on the continent averaged 4.8% over the past decade (2002-11)1, prompting The Economist magazine to tag Africa as ‘The Hopeful Continent’, and an abundance of upbeat macroeconomic statistics has made Africa a new darling of portfolio investors.

More than six in ten (63%) adult Zimbabweans think that the country is heading in the wrong direction, according to the most recent Afrobarometer survey (November 2014). This pessimistic outlook is shared across demographic groups of gender, age, place of residence (POR) and province though the depth of opinion differs. For example, while nearly three quarters of urban dwellers (73%) expressed pessimism, less than six in ten of their rural dwellers (58%) share this view and more males (67%) than females (60%) say the country is going the wrong way.

More than three quarters of Zimbabweans do not know about the Constitution enacted in May 2013 to replace the 33-year-old Lancaster House Charter. The new supreme law was overwhelmingly and peacefully approved in a referendum in March 2013 in which half of the adult population turned out to vote. Close to one and half years after this historic event, the latest Afro barometer survey in Zimbabwe reveals that more than three quarters of the country’s citizens (78%) either know nothing or very little about their national constitution.

Despite annual economic growth rates averaging of 7%, a majority of Tanzanians say their current living conditions are bad, according to the 2014 Afrobarometer survey.

Negative public perceptions of the country’s economic condition are also significantly higher than a decade ago.

Findings from the Round 5 survey in Nigeria (2012).
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Findings from the Round 5 survey in Nigeria (2012).
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A majority of Zambians do not approve of non-democratic means of governance, according to the most recent Afrobarometer survey.

Results from the survey, which was conducted in October 2014, shows that most Zambians disapprove of undemocratic alternatives such as one-party rule and one-man rule.

The data is being released in view of the recent (January 2015) presidential elections that showed regional polarisation in voting patterns which have the potential to slow down the democratic process. It demonstrates that Zambians, in general, have faith in Zambia’s democracy.

Findings from the Round 5 survey in Zambia (2013).
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Findings from the Round 5 survey in Zambia (2013).
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Findings from the Round 5 survey in Zambia (2013).
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Findings from the Round 5 survey in Zambia (2013).
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Findings from the Round 5 survey in Uganda (2012).
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Findings from the Round 5 survey in Uganda (2012).
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Findings from the Round 5 survey in Mozambique (2012).

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Most Namibians trust their president and prime minister and approve of their job performance, the latest Afrobarometer survey indicates.

The survey findings suggest that Prime Minister Hage Geingob, who will be the country’s first non-Oshivambo presidential candidate in the 2014 elections, will continue to enjoy the public’s strong support for SWAPO. Rural respondents gave President Pohamba 14% more trust than did urban respondents. No ethnic reactions nor apathy is evident in the survey results.

Most Namibians think that the economy has been well managed over the years, but at the same time, they think that the government has failed in creating enough jobs and narrowing income gaps. Successive Afrobarometer surveys have shown that the Namibian economy is managed well (62% in 2012, 60% in 2008, and 76% in 2006).

Most Namibians favour policy changes from the status quo on several specific policies asked about in the 2014 Afrobarometer Round 6 survey, despite showing strong support for the ruling party. For example, 78% of Namibians interviewed for the Round 6 Afrobarometer
opinion poll favoured the adoption of the Basic Income Grant Programme (BIG) even if it required new taxes such at Value Added Tax (VAT) or income tax. Although the government has rejected BIG, the people favour it nearly 8 out of ten. Similarly, nearly 9 in 10 Namibians

Most Namibians (55%) say the controversial Third Constitutional Amendment1 was passed without adequate public consultation, according to a new Afrobarometer survey.

By an overwhelming majority, eight of 10 Namibian survey respondents say that changing the Constitution should be preceded by extensive public consultation and that this did not occur for the recent amendment.

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Malawians value Parliament’s legislative and oversight role but are highly critical of the performance of parliamentarians, according to the latest Afrobarometer survey. A majority want parliament to vet the president’s appointment of cabinet ministers and hold the president accountable. Most citizens disapprove of how their Members of Parliament (MPs) have been doing their work and feel that their MPs do not listen to them. A significant proportion of MPs are perceived to be corrupt, and public trust in the National Assembly has waned.

A strong majority (78%) reported the country was heading in the wrong direction, according to the latest Afrobarometer survey held in March 2014. Malawians perceptions on which direction the country is heading to, and perceptions about their living economic conditions were collected as part of the Afrobarometer Round 6 Survey.

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Findings from the Round 6 survey in Malawi (2014).
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