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Seven million citizens starved in 2020 – Afrobarometer

by Bustop TV News



By Lloyd Takawira

Despite an overwhelming 80 % of Zimbabweans interviewed by Afrobarometer stating that government handled the Covid-19 pandemic well many say they went hungry last year.

In a recent published survey, Afrobarometer said the majority of Zimbabweans interviewed blamed the government for not providing social safety nets for them during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“About half of the citizens, an estimated seven million, say they went without enough food (52%), enough clean water (51%) and medical care (55%) at least several times during the past year.”

Lack of clean water was more common in urban areas. Citizens living in rural areas did not have enough food and a cash income.

Majority of the respondents also believed resources which could have been available for responding to the pandemic were lost through corruption.

“Large majorities say the government is performing badly on creating jobs (91%), keeping prices stable (78%), improving living standards of the poor (75%) and other issues.”

However, despite the majority saying they went hungry over 80% believed that the President Mnangagwa administration has fared well in it’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The research reads, “more than eight in10 Zimbabweans (81%) approve of the government’s performance in managing the COVID-19 pandemic. But a majority (54%) believe that resources available for responding to the pandemic were lost to government corruption.”

The Afrobarometer research further said despite government’s heavy handedness in enforcing Covid-19 regulations most citizens support them.

“Almost half (47%) of Zimbabweans say their household lost a primary source of income during the pandemic, and 77% say it was difficult to comply with lockdown restrictions. Still, most citizens (81%) support the restrictions as necessary.”

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