Kenya: Majority of Kenyans Want Opposition MPs to Collaborate With Kenya Kwanza for Development - Tifa Poll

20 April 2023
Capital FM (Nairobi)
By Bruhan Makong

Nairobi — Most Kenyans believe that Members of Parliament drawn from the opposition would serve their constituents best by "working closely" with the Kenya Kwanza government rather than maintain a hostile stance, a new survey by Trends for Insights Africa (TIFA) has revealed.

The poll released Thursday indicates that 52 per cent of Kenyans think that opposition MPS should work as closely as possible with President William Ruto's administration to bring more development and/or benefits to local people and help to unite the country.

However, 41 per cent are of the view that the opposition leaders should remain strong and loyal to the Azimio opposition in order protect multi-party democracy and to try and keep the government in check.

"While larger majorities of Kenya Kwanza supporters and Azimio supporters take these opposing positions, neither of these reach the two-thirds mark, suggesting how divided supporters of these coalitions are even among themselves on this issue," TIFA said.

According to the findings, while a modest majority of those whose MP is from the ruling Kenya Kwanza coalition support the position that Opposition MPs should work with the government (59%), that of those with an Opposition MP is the reverse, but only slightly so (49 per cent vs. 45 per cent).

"These latter figures suggest that should such MPs be forced to resign from their current political parties and defend their seats on a new, Kenya Kwanza-affiliated party at least some of them might be re-elected," noted the pollster.

For their part, the views of those 'non-aligned' in terms of coalition support more closely match those of the former with somewhat more of them in favor of such MPs working "closely" with the government of the day (48% vs. 35%)

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.

Read the original article on Capital FM.

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