DEMOCRATIC space continues to shrink under President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration with less than 40% of the people in Zimbabwe believing that there is still democracy in the country, a new report by Afrobarometer shows.
Afrobarometer is a pan-African, non-partisan survey research network that provides reliable data on African experiences and evaluations of democracy, governance and quality of life.
Nine survey rounds in up to 42 countries have been completed since 1999.
“In Zimbabwe, fewer than four in 10 citizens think their country is a ‘full democracy’ or a ‘democracy with minor problems’ and fewer than half are satisfied with the way democracy works in the country,” the report showed.
The report also revealed that while African citizens remain committed to democratic principles, there was a troubling decline in popular support for democracy across the continent.
The inaugural flagship report, which analysed over a decade of data from 39 African countries, highlights both the strengths and vulnerabilities of democratic governance in the region.
The report, based on 53 444 face-to-face interviews, indicates that a majority of Africans still prefer democracy to other forms of governance and reject non-democratic alternatives like military rule.
It also showed that Africans strongly support democratic norms such as free elections, constitutional limits on presidential terms and media freedom. Despite these positive indicators, the report warns of significant challenges ahead.
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“Over the past decade, popular support for democracy has declined sharply in several countries and opposition to military rule has weakened,” the report states.
This is compounded by a growing dissatisfaction with the way democracy is functioning on the continent.
While economic factors like poverty and poor management do not seem to significantly affect support for democracy, political issues such as rising corruption, poor-quality elections and lack of presidential accountability are eroding public trust.
The report cautioned that without improvements, the erosion of democratic values could accelerate.
The report also highlights declining perceptions of key democratic practices, including presidential respect for judicial and parliamentary oversight and equal treatment before the law.
“Such trends, if unaddressed, could pose significant risks to the continent’s democratic development,” the report said.
