Worsened assessments also emerge on political matters, such as reducing political violence. The positive
thrust, however, still prevails. A total of 67% believe that the IG is doing well or very well on this front,
even if it is down from around 80% in the 2010 survey. The same goes for arbitrary arrest, now a 54%
positive assessment, albeit down from 66%.
Lighter load of personal deprivations
In a final set of questions to delve into Zimbabweans’ conditions on the ground, the survey asked (Q13)
about personal deprivations in terms of life essentials in the past year. The measure represented in
Table 10 shows that life for Zimbabweans had indeed improved over several fronts on which basic
quality of life is indicated. In all six areas and across the three consecutive survey measurements of
2009, 2010 and 2012 Zimbabweans report that they had experienced systematic improvements.
Type of deprivation
Not enough food to
eat
Not enough clean
water for home use
Lack of modern
medicines / - medical
treatment
Lack of traditional
medicines / - medical
treatment
Not enough fuel to
cook food
Lack of a cash
income
Table 10:
Deprivation in the past year on living essentials, 2009‐12
Several times
September 2009
December 2010
(S)
(%)
(%)
Many times (M)
Combined
Combined
Always (A)
S
M
A
S
M
A
S
M
A
S
M
A
S
M
A
S
M
A
17
43
25
17
20
12
20
32
28
‐
‐
‐
18
22
15
10
33
51
85
49
80
‐
55
94
27
20
3
20
18
5
31
27
7
6
3
0.3
19
22
7
19
39
33
50
43
65
9
48
91
July 2012
(%)
Combined
15
12
4
18
14
10
19
13
5
3
2
1
19
14
10
26
26
17
31
42
37
6
44
79
Notes: Q13 (2012): ‘Over the past year, how often, if ever, have you or anyone in your family, gone without …?’
(Q6) Note: The percentages represent those the levels of deprivation (the percentages of ‘never’ and ‘once or
twice’ are not listed (but are implied in the percentage remainders)
29
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