Zimbabweans Favor Unity Government to Fix Economy, Survey Says

(Bloomberg) --

Two-thirds of Zimbabweans favor a coalition between the main opposition and the ruling party to solve the African nation's political and economic problems, according to a survey conducted by Afrobarometer.

The majority of respondents in the findings published Wednesday said they “agree or strongly agree” that the Movement for Democratic Change be brought into government. 

Challenges facing the southern African country include annual inflation of 50% and shortages of foreign currency. The gap between the official exchange rate of Z$86 per U.S dollar and the black market version has nearly doubled, eroding incomes of most workers. 

John Mangudya, the central bank governor, accused large corporates of “manipulating the exchange rate.” 

The ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front and the chief opposition party were in a four-year coalition government in 2009 until 2013. That period was credited with economic stability and recovery, after years of run-away hyperinflation forced the Zimbabwe dollar to be abandoned in February 2009 in favor of U.S. dollars.

Zimbabwe is set to hold its next general elections in 2023.

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