Zimbabweans are now the world’s gloomiest people, finds an end-of-year survey by the Gallup International Association.
And — surprise, surprise — they are getting more apprehensive about what lies ahead.
Seventy-two percent of Zimbabweans surveyed at the end of last year believe 2003 will be worse than 2002, compared to 68% at the end of the previous year.
The world’s greatest optimism, however, is also felt in another African country, Kenya. This, the surveyors speculate, may reflect high spirits at the prospect of a regime change before the recent election.
Nigerians are also on top of the world, having the world’s third-highest “optimism index” of 160, compared with Kenya’s 174. Observers say this may explain the planned launch of a Nigerian-backed newspaper, ThisDay, in South Africa this year.
South Africa is the second-most pessimistic of the African countries surveyed, finds Markinor, Gallup’s local affiliate. Indeed, our optimism index (now 91) shows a slow downward drift since a peak of buoyancy in 1995/6.
Other high-spirited nations include Kosovo (optimism index 167), New Zealand (147), the United States (147) and Denmark (147).
The Japanese (77), Irish (74), Guatemalans (62) and Portuguese (50) clearly feel the future ain’t what it used to be.
The survey shows that Zimbabweans (optimism index 46) are consistently the most downbeat African nation on economic matters. Only 10% expect a year of economic prosperity in Africa.
African National Congress Youth League leader Malusi Gigaba could not be contacted on Thursday on whether he thought Gallup was a neo-colonial plot.