via Life was sweet under GNU, research- NewZimbabwe 30 January 2015
LIFE for the majority of Zimbabweans was far much better during the Government of National Unity (GNU) than it is under the current Zanu PF led government, a recent research study by a local organisation has revealed.
Last year the Mass Public Opinion Institute (MPOI) commissioned a qualitative study on people’s knowledge about citizen and participation rights as defined in the new constitution as well as other socio- economic and political issues of concern to them.
During the study, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were conducted in the country’s eight administrative provinces of Harare, Bulawayo, Midlands, Manicaland, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Masvingo and Matabeleland North.
Two FGDs were conducted in each province, one comprising female participants and another consisting of male participants, all of homogenous characteristics.
Presenting the research findings in Bulawayo this week MPOI Principal Researcher Stephen Ndoma said under the research’s Assessment of Personal Circumstances category, participants were asked to make a comparison of their life at the time of the study with that before the July 2013 elections which ushered in the Zanu PF government.
“Most of the participants in 13 out of the 16 groups said things were now worse compared to the GNU period. However participants in three groups namely Harare (male) and Matabeleland South (male) as well as Mashonaland East (female) had mixed views about the circumstances at the time of the study,” said Ndoma.
Ndoma said rising unemployment, government’s failure to solve the problem of late salary payment for civil servants and corruption were some of the key issues raised by the participants.
“I think that our lives before the July 2013 elections were far much better than the way we are faring now especially because it is difficult to get money to use,” said a male participant from the Midlands.
A female participant from Masvingo concurred with the male participant from the Midlands.
“I really think the GNU was much better than this one. Things are worse now because even money is in short supply. It is not circulating well. The cost of living continues to go high unlike in the previous government. Life has become more difficult than we anticipated,” said the respondent.
However some participants said they were comfortable with the status quo.
“Our life seems to be better in the sense that one is able to walk freely on the streets unlike before when there was fear in the rural areas. People were actually scared of walking on the streets and showing their political identity but right now they are able to move freely regardless of which political party is in power,” observed one male participant from Masvingo.
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