News release

Most Zimbabweans see country going in the wrong direction, want government intervention, Afrobarometer survey shows

7 Jun 2022 Zimbabwe

News release

Key findings

More than seven in 10 Zimbabweans (72%) say the country is going in the wrong direction, up from 60% in 2017 and 67% in 2021 (Figure 1).
The view that the country is heading in the wrong direction is particularly common among urban residents (79%), poor citizens (87%), and respondents with secondary (75%) or post-secondary (77%) education (Figure 2).
Management of the economy (cited by 45% of respondents) and unemployment (43%) are the most important problems that Zimbabweans want their government to address (Figure 3).
Infrastructure/roads (29%) and water supply (26%) come next on citizens’ list of priorities for government action.
Urban residents are more likely than their rural counterparts to prioritise management of the economy (51% vs. 41%), unemployment (48% vs. 40%), water supply (32% vs. 22%), and corruption (21% vs. 14%). Food shortage is considered a more urgent problem in rural areas (22%) than in cities (6%) (Figure 4).

A growing majority of Zimbabweans say their country is going in the wrong direction, the latest Afrobarometer survey shows.

As the country’s economy continues in deep distress, citizens cite management of the economy and unemployment as the most important problems that the government must address.