Kikwete leads in Synovate research
By Correspondent – SYNOVATE, a research institution announced its results of an opinion poll on Sunday, showing that 84 per cent of the respondents trust President Jakaya Kikwete’s government.
The poll also indicates that Mr Kikwete would have garnered 61 per cent of Union residential votes if the general election were to be held on Monday.
Chadema’s Dr Willibrod Slaa would score 16 per cent, while Prof Ibrahim Lipumba of hama cha Wananchi (CUF) would get a mere 5 per cent of the votes. The remaining 5 per cent would be shared among other candidates.
The opinion poll results were released hardly a week after REDET, another research institution released its opinion poll findings which gave President Kikwete a 71 per cent lead, followed by Dr Slaa 13.2 per cent and Prof Lipumba 10.1 per cent.
The Synovate Country Manager Mr Aggrey Oriwo said the study involved 2,000 respondents from 63 districts in 26 regions –on a random selection method. It was conducted from September 5 to 16, this year.
According to the research, Synovate’s findings on political party popularity indicated that the ruling party is the most popular by 64 per cent, followed by CHADEMA with 22 per cent and CUF 7 per cent, while other political parties shared 5 per cent.
2 per cent of the respondents were undecided. The study also established that only 38 per cent of the respondents participated in party primaries.
If elections were held today, 83 per cent of the 2,000 respondents said would vote, as 30 per cent would have not updated their voter registration cards, 27 per cent were fed up with politics and 2 per cent said their nature of work did not allow them to participate in the polls.
Meanwhile, Synovate’s respondents approved Chadema’s Kigoma North Parliamentary contestant, Mr Zitto Kabwe, as their most preferred youthful president with 38 per cent, followed by Dr Hussein Mwinyi with 15 per cent and Makongoro Nyerere 12 per cent.
On government performance, Synovate says 50 per cent of the respondents approve government’s overall performance over the last 12 months, whereas 24 per cent expressed disapproval while 24 per cent were undecided. Majority of those who approve the overall government performance are rural residents.
War on corruption featured prominently in the study with 67 per cent of the respondents, saying they were supporting the Prevention and Combatting of Corruption Bureau’s (PCCB) fight against corruption. Respondents, however, noted that lack of civic education was the cause of corruption in elections.
The media, according to Synovate has been on the forefront in war on corruption during elections, although some respondents pointed out that money was an important factor in winning election.
The Judiciary was commended as playing important role in conflict resolution by 79 per cent supported by religious leaders (10%), village elders (6%), Government officers (1%) and traditional courts (3%).
Respondents also gave their opinion on performance of different institutions as follows; Police Force (45%), National Examination Council of Tanzania (NECTA) (50%), Judiciary (47%), Financial Institutions (52%), health institutions (50%), PCCB (46%), opposition parties (48%), SUMATRA (44%) and TUCTA (47%).
The list also includes non-governmental organizations (57%), media (72%), musicians (59%) and Tanesco (30%). There was dissatisfaction over unemployment rate by 83 per cent, while 72 per cent respondents said they were not satisfied with food prices. Synovate commended the recently dissolved parliament and gave its Speaker Mr Samwel Sitta 75 per cent approval.
Six Members of Parliament rated as good performers were Zitto Kabwe (20%), Dr Willbrod Slaa (11%), Dr Harrison Mwakyembe, Anne Kilango Malecela and John Pombe Magufuli who scored 3 per cent each.
Synovate’s findings hardly two days after Redet’s results that also shows President Kikwete is approved by 71.2 per cent as the President of Tanzania if elections was to be held last month.
Redet says Dr Slaa and Prof Lipumba would win by 12.3 per cent and 10.2 per cent respectively over the same period.
