Executive Summary I: II: III: IV: V: VI: Power, power shifts and performance of the Inclusive Government Politics of violence and fear in Zimbabwe Constitution-making and constitutional expectations Party support and declaring vote intention Elections – expectations, experiences and electoral violence-fear-coercion Political interest and media use The following represent the main findings of the Freedom House Southern Africa (FHSA) December 2010 survey of Zimbabwean politics: I: Power, power shifts and performance of the Inclusive Government Zimbabwe circa 2010-11 was in many respects a different place from the Zimbabwe of February 2009 (the time of formation of Inclusive Government, IG), and even from the time of the previous Freedom House survey of September 2009. Some power relations have been changing and living conditions have improved. Simultaneously, much had remained the same, including presidential and security force powers, and the power to unleash violence and enforce compliance. To illustrate: Despite the IG’s incorporation of all three main political parties of the time there is widespread recognition that power remains overwhelmingly vested in the hands of ZANU-PF and Robert Mugabe. There is little doubt in this survey that Mugabe continuously relies on the back-up of the state security forces to remain entrenched. Zimbabweans report that their lives have been improving over a wide front subsequent to the introduction of IG. The MDC-T is the political party that receives, by far, the most credit for the positive changes. Zimbabweans are divided as to the general direction in which the country is moving – 35% say the direction is right; 31% that it is wrong. In line with the perception-recognition of ZANU-PF remaining in charge (in effect), and Zimbabweans over a wide front enjoying a better life, it is not surprising that ZANU-PF supporters are more likely than MDC-T supporters to believe that the country is heading in a right direction – 51% of ZANU-PF’s compared to 26% of MDC-T supporters feel this way. Zimbabweans in the past two years have experienced many improvements in their economic conditions – but still believe that their personal conditions have not quite improved as much as those of the country in general. 4