Majority of Kenyans believe the country is on the wrong trajectory and are linking the high cost of living to poor management of the economy by government, a new survey shows.
Findings by University of Nairobi’s Institute of Development Studies (IDS) and pan-Aftican research firm Afrobarometer show 59 percent of Kenyans think the country is heading in the wrong direction.
The survey conducted between Aprill and May 2024 shows health tops the list of most important problems among Kenyans followed by increasing cost of living, unemployment, education, crime and security, corruption and infrastructure/roads.
“When you combine all factors that constitute economy in our perceptions, nearly 60 of Kenyans think as a country we are not headed in the right direction,” said Prof Paul Kamau, the Afrobarometer National Investigator in Kenya and IDS Director of Research.
The survey which sampled 2,400 respondents in rural and urban areas showed that 59 percent of Kenyans think that poor management of the economy by the government is the main reason for the increased cost of living.
Around 18 percent of Kenyans blame he increased inflation on global economic challenges, 11 percent link it on lingering effects of COVID-19 while nine percent pin it on the Russia-Ukrain war.
The findings show that seven out of every 10 Kenyans -representing 71 percent of the respondents– want the government to withdraw the housing levy fund for salaried employees.
In March this year, President William Ruto signed into law the Affordable Housing Bill, paving the way for the resumption of housing levy deductions which had earlier been stopped by the court.
Under the plan, employees are deducted 1.5 percent of their gross salary which is matched by the employer.
The findings further show that nine in 10 Kenyans or 91 percent of respondents disapprove of the increased tax on petroleum products.
“On perceptions concerning taxation, half the population believes it is better to pay less taxes, even if it means there will be fewer services provided by government,” said Dr Laura Barasa, Afrobarometer Co-National Investigator in Kenya and senior lectuter of economics and development studies at UoN.
Corruption remains a big concern for Kenyans with 69 percent of Kenyans believing that the police are the biggest culprits, followed by tax officials, MPs, the Presidency, office of the governor and Members of the County Assembly (MCAs).
