daniel chigunwe
Business Writer
Forty-four percent of the Zimbabwean population cites the management of the economy as a top priority, the latest Afrobarometer survey shows.
This indicates a significant concern among Zimbabwean citizens regarding the economic management of their country.
Afrobarometer surveys in 39 African countries between late 2021 and mid-2023 show that public concerns about economic management have surged in recent years, placing the issue second only to unemployment among the top priorities that Africans want their Government to address.
The survey shows that citizens offer increasingly gloomy appraisals of their country’s economic condition and their personal living conditions, and fewer than half expect things to improve in the near future.
Given the high percentage of citizens prioritising the management of the economy, it underscores the importance of addressing economic challenges and implementing effective policies to improve economic conditions in Zimbabwe.
This data aligns with the broader trend across African countries, where economic management has emerged as a top policy priority for a substantial portion of the population.
Zimbabwe is among the countries where a significant proportion of citizens view the economic conditions negatively.
The report mentions that only a quarter of citizens across surveyed countries see their country’s economic condition as good, indicating a widespread pessimistic outlook.
When it comes to Government management of the economy and job creation, Zimbabwe’s performance is reflected in the data on positive assessments of its performance.
The report shows that Zimbabwe is below the 39-country average in terms of citizens’ perceptions of how well the Government is handling these matters.
The report indicates that assessments of key indicators of Government economic performance, including managing the economy and creating jobs, have been trending downward across the surveyed countries.
This trend likely includes Zimbabwe as well, given the overall decline in positive assessments.
The report suggests that African governments, including Zimbabwe, are rated poorly on key indicators of economic performance.
Only a quarter of citizens across the 39 countries surveyed believe their government is doing fairly well or very well in managing the economy, indicating a widespread perception of poor government performance in this area.
Across 39 countries surveyed between late 2021 and mid-2023, two economic issues top the list of most important problems that citizens want their Government to address, unemployment cited by 33 percent of respondents and management of the economy tied with health at 29 percent.
In addition, 13 percent cite poverty and 6 percent mention wages as top priorities for Government action.
The findings serve as a wake-up call for policymakers and stakeholders to address the deep-seated issues hindering Zimbabwe’s economic progress and to chart a path towards sustainable growth and prosperity for all its citizens.
Bongani Ndlovu