HARARE - Despite the presence of the shaky coalition government, public opinion poll organisations in the country are finding it extremely difficult to penetrate areas of the Midlands Province.
Speaking to journalists last week AfroBarometer SADC region Outreach Manager, Mxolisi Sibanyoni, said that his organisation had failed to penetrate the Midlands areas of Mberengwa, Gokwe and Hurungwe because of the hostile conditions.
“In the past we were failing to get to areas of Mashonaland Central provinces, now we cannot get access to the Midlands provinces. In those parts strangers are not welcome and have to report to the traditional leadership who do not usually grant permission,” he said.
Because of the tense environment that was caused by a violently charged election in 2008, Zimbabwe was the last country among 20 in Africa to have public opinion polls that were conducted by Afrobarometer, an organisation that surveys social, economic and political situations in Africa.
In May and June 2009, and August 2010 the organization surveyed a national representative, random, stratified probability sample of 1200 adult Zimbabwean citizens. A part of the survey results which the organization produced was the comparison of the popularity and trustworthiness of President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai in the inclusive government where the former scored 18 per cent and the latter scored 50 per cent.
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