Categories: Stories

Zimbabwe’s towns and cities no longer safe opposition strongholds

As Zimbabwe heads for elections in 2018, all the economic warning signs are there for the ruling party.

 Under the ZANU-PF, the economy has gone into rapid decline and it’s possible that by the time the polls are held, the new currency of bond notes will be highly inflated.

Yet the party heads into 2018 much stronger than the main opposition, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) led by Morgan Tsvangirai.

Since the MDC was founded in 1999, it has presented the best chance of defeating the ZANU-PF and President Robert Mugabe at the polls.

The MDC – or its main splinter group, MDC-T – has come close on a few occasions.

But despite Zimbabwe’s current economic travails, the opposition’s prospects for 2018 are not looking good.

The MDC-T suffers from many external challenges and internal weaknesses.

But at the heart of its travails lies its diminishing support particularly among urban voters.

Over the last four years, the MDC-T has lost key seats in previous strongholds.

Poorer citizens in towns and cities are frustrated with opposition politics.

Trust in opposition parties is at an all time low.

An Afrobarometer survey suggests that 30% of urbanites do not trust the opposition at all, compared to 15% in 2005 and 11% in 2011.

Meanwhile, support among the middle-class has also dropped as many have left the country in response to the declining economic conditions.

The MDC used to be able to rely on a huge urban vote.

At its founding, the party focused heavily on economic issues and human rights.

This bolstered its support among the frustrated urban middle-class as well as rural voters in areas where ZANU-PF has typically struggled.

Continued next page

(439 VIEWS)

This post was last modified on %s = human-readable time difference 8:33 am

Page: 1 2 3 4

Charles Rukuni

The Insider is a political and business bulletin about Zimbabwe, edited by Charles Rukuni. Founded in 1990, it was a printed 12-page subscription only newsletter until 2003 when Zimbabwe's hyper-inflation made it impossible to continue printing.

Recent Posts

Will Mnangagwa go against the trend in the region?

Plans by the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front to push President Emmerson Mnangagwa to…

October 22, 2024

The Zimbabwe government and not saboteurs sabotaging ZiG

The Zimbabwe government’s insatiable demand for money to satisfy its own needs, which has exceeded…

October 20, 2024

The Zimbabwe Gold will regain its value if the government does this…

Economist Eddie Cross says the Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) will regain its value if the government…

October 16, 2024

Is Harare the least democratic province in Zimbabwe?

Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare, which is a metropolitan province, is the least democratic province in the…

October 11, 2024

Zimbabweans against extension of presidential term in office

Nearly 80% of Zimbabweans are against the extension of the president’s term in office, according…

October 11, 2024

Zimbabwe government biggest loser when there is a discrepancy in the exchange rate

The government is the biggest loser when there is a discrepancy between the official exchange…

October 10, 2024