Why Mt Kenya Is Turning Against Ruto- Report
A recent survey has unveiled that 63% of individuals living around Mt. Kenya are discontented with the country’s situation in 2023 compared to the prior year.
In the most recent TIFA Research poll regarding Kenya’s perceptions in 2023, the Mt Kenya area has indicated a change in attitude towards the Kenya Kwanza government across four areas: living expenses, the economy, scarcity of job prospects, and the procedures involved in securing credit or loans.
According to the survey, 82 percent of residents in the Mt Kenya area indicated that the expenses for necessities increased in 2023, highlighting the surge in prices for essential household goods, electricity, fuel, and other items.
In general, 87 percent of the population in Kenya expressed concerns about the expenses associated with daily life, with this sentiment being more widespread in urban regions (90 percent) in contrast to rural areas (86 percent).
“Specifically, Nyanza and Nairobi regions have over 90 percent of respondents stating that the cost of living deteriorated in 2023,” read part of the report.
Additionally, 74% of residents in the Mt Kenya region expressed dissatisfaction with the economic situation in 2023.
However, 62 percent of people living in the Central region highlighted the absence of job prospects in 2023 when compared to the previous year, 2022.
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Additional areas like Nyanza (80%), Nairobi (75%), North Eastern (70%), and Rift Valley (55%) similarly expressed unfavorable views regarding the job market.
Regarding obtaining a loan, 53% of individuals from the Mt Kenya region expressed the difficulty they face due to multiple economic hurdles. These obstacles encompass stringent lending criteria, increased risk assessments from financial institutions, and overarching uncertainties impacting those seeking loans.
In 2023, just a quarter of the Mt Kenya area showed satisfaction with the availability of loans, marking a decrease from the previous year, which stood at 25 percent.
The survey indicates widespread dissatisfaction in 2023, exacerbated by the steep rise in living expenses. Among the different areas, Mt Kenya is predominantly seen as a pivotal region with a significant voting population capable of influencing the result of a presidential election.
During the 2022 General Election, President William Ruto gained 2.9 million votes from 10 counties in the Mt Kenya region, while his primary rival Raila Odinga received 847,709 votes from the same area. This significant margin of votes in Ruto’s favor played a crucial role in securing his victory over his opponent.
Why Mt Kenya Is Turning Against Ruto- Report