Most Zimbabweans see the military intervention that led to the resignation of President Robert Mugabe as either “the right thing to do” or “wrong but necessary,” according to a new national survey by Afrobarometer partner Mass Public Opinion Institute (MPOI).
In interviews just weeks ahead of elections in July, four in 10 Zimbabweans (41%) fully endorse the military intervention that cleared the way for President Emmerson Mnangagwa to take over. While a majority (52%) say the intervention was wrong, 40% describe it as “wrong but necessary,” and only 12% say it was simply wrong. Views on the military intervention vary considerably by province but only modestly by party affiliation.
Despite widespread support or acceptance of the 2017 military intervention, large majorities reject military rule and any regular role for the military in the country’s politics.
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