agents (President, parliament and the ruling party) declined from 2004 to 2005, trust in parliament rebounded strongly in 2009, but not for the President and the ruling party. Political Affiliation – this showed the greatest changes, with the respondents, both rural and urban, reporting a strong shift from ZANU-PF to MDC-T. By 2009, only 6% of urban respondents and 17% of rural folk who were willing to openly state a preference – supported ZANU-PF. In conclusion, it seems fair to conclude that OM was a contributory factor in ZANU-PF’s loss in the 2008 Harmonised Elections, but the additional effects of the economic decline, especially in 2007 and 2008, cannot be discounted. Given that risk aversion was on the decline in 2014, and that the economic situation appears to be heading for the same state as 2007-2008, what do these factors mean for the upcoming elections in 2018? 3