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News release

Zimbabweans prefer democracy to any other kind of government, but many are dissatisfied with how democracy works in the country

17 Sep 2024 Zimbabwe
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News release
Key findings
  • More than eight in 10 Zimbabweans (85%) say they prefer democracy to any other kind of government (Figure 1).
  • But more than half of citizens (56%) believe Zimbabwe is “not a democracy” (23%) or “a democracy with major problems” (33%) (Figure 2).
  • Fully half (50%) say they are “not very satisfied” or “not at all satisfied” with how democracy works in the country (Figure 3).
  • Strong majorities reject one-man rule (88%), one-party rule (72%), and military rule (72%) (Figure 4). o Urbanites are more likely than rural residents to reject one-party rule (77% vs. 69%) and military rule (77% vs. 69%), while opposition to one-man rule is similarly strong in both (89% urban vs. 87% rural) (Figure 5).

A majority of Zimbabweans say they prefer democracy to any other kind of government, but  only a minority are satisfied with the way democracy works in their country, a recent  Afrobarometer study reveals.  

Strong majorities reject one-man rule, one-party rule, and military rule. But many citizens do  not see Zimbabwe as a well-functioning democracy.