Trust in the MDC‐T and ZANU‐PF and benefits of IG accruing to the main political parties
Despite many criticisms there is an overall recognition that IG has brought positive changes to
Zimbabwe. The question arises of which of the two main political parties, the MDC‐T or ZANU‐PF
receives more of the credit. This is especially given the hope that the MDC‐T would grow by proving
itself in government. The results show that the MDC‐T has not necessarily succeeded on this score. The
2010 results showed that Zimbabweans unambiguously believe that ZANU‐PF had benefitted far more
from its involvement in IG than the MDC‐T had.
At the time of the 2012 FH survey the MDC‐T was receiving less favourable assessments than it had
obtained in the earlier polls. The credit it got for its role in IG through the lens of this survey fell from
52% at the end of 2010 to 15% in July 2012 (Table 12). It was now on par with ZANU‐PF whose
contribution was set at 16%.
The special 2012 follow‐up, measuring comparative trust in IG, ZANU‐PF and the MDC‐T showed IG as a
great equaliser. Not only do the two main parties now balance out in the popular trust they receive, but
their levels of trust also level with that of IG in general (Table 13).
Table 13:
Trust in Inclusive Government and the two main parties, 2012
How much do you trust
A lot
Somewhat
DK / HHE
Just a little
…?
Inclusive government
22
31
6
25
MDC‐T
16
35
2
32
ZANU‐PF
24
27
2
27
Not at all
15
14
19
Notes: Q61 (2012),��‘In the current Zimbabwe, how much do you trust each of the following institutions …?’ The
political parties were listed amongst as series of public institutions. DK denotes ‘Don’t know’ and HHE to ‘have not
heard enough’. See also Table 4.
A total of 51% of respondents thus trust both the MDC‐T and ZANU‐PF ‘a lot’ or ‘somewhat’ – and 46%
trust both these parties ‘just a little’ or ‘not at all’. In addition, when respondents were asked where
power lies in the IG, in a forced choice between the president and prime minister, Robert Mugabe’s
rating as main power‐holder declined from 47% to 32%, whereas the estimation of Morgan Tsvangirai’s
power in the IG in relation to the president dropped from 4% to 3% (Q10 and Q16, respectively for 2010
and 2012).
A detailed analysis of the sentiments of the supporters of the two parties showed that ZANU‐PF
supporters believe a touch more than MDC‐T supporters do that IG has been a success (50% compared
with 46%). A total of 56% of those that keep their vote a secret reckon that that they trust the IG (only
35% of them distrust the IG).In contrast with this modest difference, 36% of MDC‐T supporters (and only
25% of ZANU‐PF’s supporters) reckon that the IG arrangement has failed. The ‘Secreters’ also show a
touch of their political colours in their assessments of the Office of the President (associated with ZANU‐
32
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