‘Why Mugabe won’ in 2013 and implications for 2018
Insights from the last election can shape strategies for both political parties and election observers.
With election fever heating up in Zimbabwe, there has been renewed interest in explaining the remarkable results of the 2013 elections which saw Mugabe returned to office and his ZANU-PF party gaining a two-thirds majority in Parliament. According to ZANU-PF, opinion polls show that the party’s ‘people centred’ policies won them the vote – rather than electoral malfeasance.
Several recent polls show similar results and analysts are predicting another ZANU-PF win in 2018. This seminar will examine the claim of popular support for the ruling party and suggest alternative reasons for ZANU-PF’s 2013 victory. These insights can shape strategies ahead of the 2018 polls, both for political parties and election observers.
Chair: Fonteh Akum, Senior Researcher, ISS
Speaker:
Derek Matyszak, Senior Research Consultant, ISS Pretoria
Picture: WikiMedia Commons
