Indigenisation – nuances differentiating the supporters of the main parties
The survey’s exploration of support for variations on the theme of indigenisation showed that it
resonates with a large proportion of Zimbabweans. A total of 50% of the survey respondents answered
that they had heard of ‘Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment’. This group then responded to the
rest of the indigenisation questions.There was a fair knowledge of some of the detailed aspects of
existing and proposed indigenisation policy, including the Common Share Ownership Trust (39% of the
screened respondents knew about it), the Sovereign Wealth Fund (16% of the screened respondents
had knowledge of these details) and the National Indigenisation Economic and Empowerment Board
(44% of the screened respondents had heard of it).
Table 7:
Variations on the theme of indigenisation differentiating party supporters and undeclareds
STATEMENT A
1. Foreign-owned companies bring growth and
development to Zimbabwe.
Agree very strongly: 15%
MDC-T 2%
ZANU-PF 20%
Undeclared 30%
Agree: 8%
MDC-T 20%
ZANU-PF 7%
Undeclared 15%
2. If all major companies that operate in Zimbabwe are
owned by Zimbabweans there will be growth and
development.
Agree very strongly: 17%
Agree: 6%
MDC-T 15%
MDC-T 11%
ZANU-PF 53%
ZANU-PF 16%
Undeclared 31%
Undeclared 12%
STATEMENT B
1. I agree with both the principle and the current
methods of indigenisation in Zimbabwe.
Agree: 5%
Agree very strongly: 8%
MDC-T 20%
MDC-T 2%
ZANU-PF 2%
ZANU-PF 32%
Undeclared 8%
Undeclared 16%
2. I agree with the indigenisation thrust in Zimbabwe …
it is just the current methods that are a problem.
Agree very strongly: 23%
Agree: 8%
MDC-T 69%
MDC-T 17%
ZANU-PF 29%
ZANU-PF 14%
Undeclared 40%
Undeclared 20%
STATEMENT C
1. Indigenisation will ensure economic benefits for
ALL Zimbabweans.
Agree: 7%
Agree very strongly: 10%
MDC-T 7%
MDC-T 6%
ZANU-PF 22%
ZANU-PF 35%
Undeclared 14%
Undeclared 16%
2. Indigenisation is only for elites who can buy or claim
shares in foreign-owned companies in Zimbabwe.
Agree very strongly: 23%
Agree: 7%
MDC-T 71%
MDC-T 14%
ZANU-PF 24%
ZANU-PF 11%
Undeclared 45%
Undeclared 20%
Notes: Q58(2012), ‘Which of the following statements do you agree with most? Choose statement 1 or 2 …’ The percentages in
this table exclude responses of ‘Agree with neither’ and ‘Don’t know / not sure’. The party percentages are derived by taking the
declared supporters of each party and noting what proportion of them supported each of the response options on a particular party.
Undeclared in this table refers to those who declare their vote to be their secret.
Indigenisation issues have substantial potential to cut across party political boundaries. The details in
Table 7 show that wherever one party gathers strong chunks of support for certain response options,
the other party’s supporters will mostly still be in there with some of its supporters also rallying around
the option. Beyond this, as illustrated on Statement A, MDC‐Ts’ support spread out across the options.
23
Select target paragraph3
Add to table of contents