Jeff Otieno. Additional Reporting by Rodney Muhumuza
23 July 2007
Nairobi — THE majority of East Africans support the creation of a United States of Africa currently being pushed by Libyan President Muammar Gaddafi, a recent research survey says.
According to the Steadman Group study, Kenya has the highest number of people supporting the idea at 57 per cent, followed by Tanzania at 51 and lastly Uganda, at 50. The survey done on 500 respondents in each of the three East African countries was conducted between July 14 and 15, 2007.
The survey also shows that a majority of Ugandans, or 66 percent, are optimistic that the recent discovery of oil in western Uganda will "extremely benefit or benefit more" Ugandans. Females, at 71 per cent, were the more optimistic, as opposed to 61 per cent males. Asked about how they hoped to benefit from oil production, the majority, 51 percent, said it was through "the creation of jobs".
On whether President Museveni should seek a fourth term in 2011, 58 per cent were opposed, while 67 percent were against the government's giveaway of land to investors in the run-up to the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Kampala.
On Nairobi, the study says majority do not support the extension of the life of the 9th Parliament as proposed by a committee on minimum constitutional reforms.
It says 69 per cent of Kenyans are opposed to extending the life of Parliament, while only 14 per cent support the proposal. The rest, according to the survey, are neutral.
The proposal was contained in a document prepared by the committee of minimum reforms, headed by Vice President Moody Awori. The document is yet to be presented to Parliament for debate.
It was swiftly rejected by a section of Kenyans including members of the clergy and MPs who accused the committee of trying to create confusion ahead of the general elections.
President Kibaki also rejected the proposal saying the general elections scheduled for the end of the year will not be postponed.
The package had proposed that the general elections be conducted in February, a move that would have handed the sitting MPs an extra two months in Parliament.
The survey which focused on social, political and economic issues says Nairobi residents also disapprove of pyramid schemes with 57 per cent rejecting them, while a meagre 19 approved the schemes
The schemes which have fleeced millions of shillings from Kenyans, were declared illegal by the government which equated them with gambling. Recently a group of Nairobi residents filed a legal suit at Milimani Commercial Court in a bid to recoup their lost savings. The survey also says 77 per cent of residents support the smoking ban, while 15 per cent oppose it.
The ban which was effected two weeks ago, has seen smoking restricted to designated areas and anybody found guilty of contravening the by-law is liable to a fine.
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