Question

Popular governments can be undemocratic.Popular leaders can be autocratic.'Explain this statement giving refernence to Zimbabwe

Answer 1

Zimbabewe attained independence from White minority rule in 1980.

Since than the country has been ruled by ZANU-PF, the party that led the freedom struggle. 

Its leader Robert Mugabe, has been ruling the country since then. 
Elections were held regularly and always won by him. He used unfair practices in elections.
Over these year, his government has changed the constitution several times to increase the power of the president. These make him less accountable.

Opposition parties are harassed and their meeting are disrupted. Public protest are said illegal. Television and Radio are controlled by the government. The government has ignored some of the court judgments .

From this we learn that,

Popular government can be undemocratic

Popular leaders can be autocratic.  

Answer 2

Answer: One such example has been of the government headed by the President of Zimbabwe- Robert Mugabe. He is extremely popular and his party ZANU-PF has been ruling the country since independence. . Elections are held regularly but Mugabe always wins them because he uses unfair practices during elections. Often the meetings of the opposition parties are disrupted and are not allowed to protests against the government. Radio and television controlled by him only gives news regarding the ruling party. Journalists supporting the oppositions parties are harassed and even judiciary is sometimes forced to give decisions in favour of the government.

The example of Zimbabwe shows that popular governments may be undemocratic in nature.