Corruption and incompetence among officeholders remain the biggest obstacles to effective governance in Zimbabwe, according to a new national survey.
The 2024 Citizens’ Perceptions and Expectations Survey, conducted in October by Sivio Institute, found that 44% of respondents identified corruption as the leading factor hindering central government effectiveness. A further 17% blamed incompetence, while 10% pointed to ineffective leadership.
“Corruption has increased a lot since the 2023 elections,” said a respondent from Harare, reflecting a concern shared by 27% of those surveyed.
The report found that over half (53%) of Zimbabweans rated the central government’s performance as “low,” with only 5% giving it a “high” rating. Employment creation, healthcare improvement, and price stabilisation were identified as the most urgent national priorities.
“People want jobs, stability, and better healthcare,” another respondent said. “But we keep seeing the same problems year after year.”
Despite infrastructure development projects, many Zimbabweans remain frustrated by service delivery failures. A significant proportion (42%) of citizens rated government performance as “medium,” suggesting that while some progress has been noted, it falls short of expectations.
Local governments also came under scrutiny, with 36% of respondents saying corruption was the biggest barrier to their effectiveness. Inadequate resources and central government interference were also cited as major challenges.
When asked about their level of participation in governance, the majority of Zimbabweans reported feeling excluded. Only 24% said they had ever been involved in a policy formulation process, while 65% felt there was no adequate scope for citizen input.