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Kenyans rate Ruto’s presidency as poor, say country headed in wrong direction

A combination picture of President William Ruto and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua at separate functions. (Photo: PCS and DPCS)

By John Mbati | Thursday, April 11, 2024

Among the tops reasons for the rating are the high cost of living, unemployment, poor governance and poverty.

Most Kenyans are unhappy with President William Ruto’s administration, a survey by research firm Infotrak has found.

Infotrak reported on Thursday that 41 per cent of respondents gave the presidency a poor rating, while 33 per cent said its performance was average, and 19 per cent said they were satisfied.

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Only seven per cent of the participants described the Kenya Kwanza administration as excellent.

The majority of Kenyans (58 per cent), said the country was headed in the wrong direction, while 19 per cent argued otherwise, stating it was headed in the right direction.

Another 19 per cent were conflicted, saying Kenya was going neither in the right nor wrong direction, while four per cent did not know how to respond and one per cent declined to give their views.

41 per cent of respondents in an Infotrak survey released on April 11, 2024, rated the presidency as poor.

Reasons behind opinions

The respondents cited the high cost of living, unemployment, poor governance, poverty, poor resource distribution and bad politics as the top reasons for the perception that Kenya was headed in the wrong direction.

Others cited poor quality of education, unequal distribution of resources, corruption, increased crime, tribalism, heavy taxation and poor healthcare.

The respondents who were satisfied with Ruto’s administration cited peace, adding that the Executive (ministries and the presidency) were working well together.

The cost of living, they also argued, is affordable, and healthcare, education, and infrastructure have improved.

58 per cent of respondents in an Infotrak survey released on April 11, 2024, opined that the country is headed in the wring

58 per cent of respondents in an Infotrak survey released on April 11, 2024, opined that the country was headed in the wrong direction

However, President Ruto scored a positive in the survey as the percentage of respondents who felt the country was headed in the wrong direction dropped by three per cent, compared to the findings of a similar survey conducted last December.

In terms of the regions, Coast, Nyanza and Western recorded the highest number of people who said Kenya was headed in the wrong direction at 70, 68, and 64 per cent, respectively.

These regions are the strongholds of opposition chief Raila Odinga, of the Azimio la Umoja coalition and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).

Nairobi, Central and Rift Valley accounted for 53, 55 and 45 per cent, respectively, of those who felt the country was headed in the wrong direction.

The survey involved 1,000 participants from all 47 counties, aged at least 18, and had a margin of error of +/- 3.099 per cent and a degree of confidence of 95 per cent.

Sixty-one per cent of the respondents were from urban areas and 39 per cent from rural areas, while 51 per cent were male and 49 per cent female.

Most of them—34 per cent—were aged 27-45 years, while those between 46 and 55 years accounted for 15 per cent. Nine per cent were aged 55 and above, while eight per cent were in the 18-26 age bracket.

Seventy-two per cent were either formally, casually or self-employed while three per cent were retired.