NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 20 – A new research by Trends and Insights of Africa (TIFA) has placed President William Ruto led-United Democratic Alliance (UDA) as the most popular party at 45 percent about seven months since he took office.
Raila Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) comes second at 28 per cent followed by Jubilee party at 5 per cent.
The poll also shows that Kalonzo Musyoka-led Wiper Party is the fourth most popular party at 2 per cent while George Wajackoya’s Roots Party stands at fifth position with only 1 per cent.
“At the same time, a considerable proportion of Kenyans decline to identify or express support for any party (16%),” TIFA says.
Across the country, UDA is strongest in Central Rift and Mt. Kenya, at 77 per cent and 69 per cent while ODM leads in Nyanza at 63 per cent and South Rift at 47 per cent.
“Further, the results from Northern are perhaps more significant, just in late July last year TIFA found that ODM and Jubilee combined were far more popular than was UDA (51% vs. 31%), yet now UDA is twice as popular as ODM there, with Jubilee’s support minimal,” TIFA argues.
TIFA observes that since its last survey just before the August 2022 election, the only notable change in expressed political party support has been an increase in support for UDA (from 38 per cent to 45 per cent) and a slight drop in support for the second most popular party, ODM (from 32 per cent to 29 per cent).
The pollster argues that whether the current effort by its leaders to absorb the smaller parties that joined it within the Kenya Kwanza coalition will result in its further growth remains to be seen.
The household-based survey was conducted between March 11-19, with 2,065 randomly selected respondents.
The survey covered a variety of current topics, including Kenyans’ awareness of and views towards the (then) planned Opposition demonstrations, the state of the economy and their initial assessment of the Ruto government’s successes and failures, as well as their priorities for this government to address in the coming years.
