Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. A National University of Science and Technology (NUST) engineering alumni has analysed Zimbabweans’ voting preferences and came to the conclusion that there are at least seven diverse groups whose choices are determined by their economic conditions.
The political commentator, who preferred anonymity, said generally, the educated, entrepreneurs and conscious rural people vote for the opposition while hustlers, farmers, small-scale miners, tenderpreneurs, the older generations in rural areas, as well the poorest of the poor in the countryside will most likely vote for ZANU PF. Read the thread below:
1/ The educated
We have an educated group of people that have invested their time studying and specialising in certain fields with the goal of landing high-earning jobs. This is the 8 am to 5 pm group that trades its skill and time for money. Unfortunately, this is not attainable in a poor informal economy like Zimbabwe with just a subpar operating industry. People under this group prefer a change of government hence they will vote for CCC. They believe that a change in government will revive the economy and create employment.
2/ Hustlers
These are people who have managed to make a living in this informal economy through unscrupulous, unethical and unprintable means. They thrive on chaos and also take advantage of trends. When there is inflation, you find them on the streets as money changers. When there are fuel shortages, you find them selling fuel. When there is no electricity they will be hiring out generators. Most of those that fall into this group have selfish tendencies. When their hustle is paying, they drink expensive whiskey and drive good cars in front of their peers. Most of the people in this group would want the status quo to remain and they wish the economy to deteriorate further so that they remain relevant hence they will vote for ZANU PF. They have mastered the craft of finding opportunities (deals) and surviving where normal people find would find it difficult.
3/ Farmers
Large-scale farmers who have benefited from the land reform programme, and who own farms (some multi-farms) will definitely vote for ZANU PF as this is the party that has ushered the land to them. They are afraid that a change of government might have their 99-year leases reversed as most of these farm owners have no title deeds.
4/Small-scale miners
Quite a number of people have benefited from the country’s rich resources along the Great Dyke. Some have pegged mines, some are still makorokozas who are making a living through informal mining processes. These people will do whatever it takes to have Zanu PF in power as they are afraid that a shift of power might bring new policies that might affect them.
5/ Entrepreneurs
Genuine entrepreneurs that run bonafide businesses based on true Entrepreneurial dictates which are a functioning economy, stable currency, conducive environment and fair policies they want the current government gone like yesterday hence they will vote for CCC. This group has been largely affected by inflation, a volatile environment for investments, unpredictability, and continued policy changes hence they need change.
6/ Tenderpreneurs
This group makes a living by proximity to key people in government. They live on government tenders. They are guaranteed to get tenders as long as those they are connected to keep their positions hence they don’t intend to see any shift in political power. These will vote for Zanu PF. Also, employees that hold high positions in these companies that are getting tenders on a daily basis from the government have become Zanu PF supporters. These are a few educated ones that want Zanu PF in power because their families are indirectly being well taken care of by ZANU PF.
7/ Rural
I will divide these into groups hence splitting my thread at this point
7A/ There are those that genuinely love ZANU PF. Most of them believe that it is the party that ushered their freedom from the shackles of the colonisers hence it should rule till they depart from the Earth.
7B/ Some hold positions in the ZANU PF party and they benefit from party programs, food programs, and farming inputs schemes. This group has a sense of arrival as they control the distribution of food aid and farm inputs. Mind you, dreams are personal, success is an individual conviction. Some of these people believe that they have made it in life hence they can’t see beyond that. ZANU PF is a darling to them as it has made it possible for them to achieve their dreams.
7C/ The Poor
Poverty is subjective. Apologies for labelling people as people but as someone who was born and lived in the rural areas till 2018 when I came to Harare I can confirm that we were poor as the rural folk. Though those that I left behind can see it as normal life, I tend to differ as I know what normal life is. Most of the people in the rural areas view life differently from the urban folk. What you call poverty to them is normal hence they see that the current government is performing exceedingly well. They will vote for Zanu PF without any doubt.
7D/ The conscience rural group
Most of the people in the rural areas who have kids, relatives in the towns and in the diaspora have a different perspective compared to their peers. Due to continuous engagements with their kids and relatives in towns and diaspora, they have a view that ZANU PF is the reason why their educated kids are jobless, and why their kids are in economic exile across the globe hence they will vote for CCC. This is the exact group that is applying the mango strategy. They pretend to be ZANU PF in fear of intimidation but in the ballot box, they will vote CCC.
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