Maravi

(NEWZIMBABWE, REUTERS) Survey shows collapse in support for MDC-T

COMMENT - Reuters mentions that Freedom House is "a U.S.-based research body" - so is the CIA. In fact, Freedom House is closely linked to the CIA, and they are not some independent polling organisation. Former CIA director James Woolsey used to be their chairman.

Survey shows collapse in support for MDC-T
by Reuters
05/03/2011 00:00:00

ZIMBABWEANS want a new election this year, despite violence it could unleash, while support for the opposition group that entered into power sharing with President Robert Mugabe has crumbled, a survey shows.

Mugabe's ZANU-PF party, in power since 1980, was forced into a power-sharing government with the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) led by Morgan Tsvangirai after disputed elections in 2008.

"Three quarters of Zimbabweans fear election campaigning will unleash higher levels of violence," Freedom House, a U.S.-based research body, found in results released on Friday.

"Despite this, (the) majority of Zimbabweans want elections in 2011 as a preferred alternative to continuing the government of national unity."

The findings also show that support for the once-popular MDC had dropped to 38 percent last year from 55 percent in 2009 while ZANU-PF's popularity increased to 17 percent in 2010 from 12 percent in 2009.

Freedom House's survey was conducted in Zimbabwe's 10 provinces in November and December last year among 1,200 people and follows a similar study conducted in 2009.

Mugabe, 87, wants elections this year but the MDC has warned that this will devastate the economy which has only started to recover from the hyper-inflation of two years ago. Mugabe blames sanctions from the West for the country's woes.

Analysts have warned that early elections could spark clashes between the political rivals, as they did during the previous election campaign, and say the situation on the ground is not conducive for polls.

"The infrastructure for elections is not in place. If we don't have elections in mid- or end- October, it is likely that elections will be deferred to after March 2012," said Eldred Masunungure from Zimbabwe's Mass Public Opinion Survey.
Masunungure said the MDC had lost ground because its senior members who are now part of the government paid more attention to matters of state than to building up the party.

The European Union and United States have imposed a travel ban and financial sanctions on Mugabe and his ZANU-PF allies over suspected human rights abuses spanning more than a decade, as well as for election fraud.

Mugabe has threatened to take over foreign firms and a to boycott products in retaliation for the sanctions.

Labels: CIA, FREEDOM HOUSE, MDC, PROPAGANDA, ZANU-PF

posted by MrK @ 6:14 AM