Survey: Most Kenyans believe the country is heading the wrong way
A majority of Kenyans – 87 per cent – are well aware of the provisions within the Finance Act 2023, according to a recent survey by Infotrak. The results of the survey also revealed that 59 per cent expressed skepticism about its potential positive impact on the Kenyan economy.
The Finance Act 2023, which outlines the government’s fiscal policies and revenue generation measures, has been a subject of interest and concern for citizens across the nation.
More significantly, a substantial 73 per cent of those who participated in the survey expressed their lack of support for the Finance Act 2023, further highlighting the prevailing skepticism among Kenyans regarding the government’s fiscal policies.
The survey was conducted between July 3 and July 8 on 2400 respondents from across the country using conducted through Computer Assisted Telephone Interviews.
The survey also analyzed regional variations in opinions concerning the Finance Act 2023. The Rift Valley region showed the highest level of doubt, with 28 per cent of respondents expressing reservations about the Act’s potential impact. The Central region closely followed with 29 per cent expressing similar doubts.
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In contrast, the Western and Coast regions had lower levels of doubt, with 17 per cent and 20 per cent respectively. Nairobi, being the capital city and a significant economic hub, showed a moderately high level of doubt, with 22 per cent of participants expressing reservations about the Finance Act 2023.
The Finance Act 2023 has been a subject of national discourse since its introduction, and the government has faced criticism and concerns from various stakeholders. Some citizens argue that the Act lacks clarity in its objectives and may not address the country’s economic challenges effectively.
Others have raised concerns about potential adverse effects on certain industries and sectors.
Mr Wanyingo, the lead researcher of the survey, shared some noteworthy insights from the data.
“Among individuals who do not support the Finance Act 2023, a substantial majority of 61 per cent prefer to express their discontentment through civil disobedience,” Johvine Wanyingo said.
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“Additionally, 49 per cent of this group favor challenging the Act in court, while 15 per cent opt to boycott tax, and 32 per cent choose peaceful demonstrations as alternative means of opposing the Act,” he added.
President William Ruto assented to the Finance Act on June 26, 2023. The Act was to come into force on July 1, 2023. However, the court suspended the Act on June 30, 2023
At the same, according to the survey by Infotrak, 72 per cent of Kenyans believe that the country is heading in the wrong direction, while 15 per cent have expressed optimism stating that the country is heading in the right direction.
Nyanza, Western and Coast regions have the highest levels of strong sentiment that the country is headed in the wrong direction, with 82 per cent, 79 per cent and 76 per cent of their populations expressing this belief, respectively.
On the other hand, Central, North Eastern and Rift Valley regions exhibit lower confidence in the country’s current direction, with 32 per cent, 31 per cent and 19 percent respectively.
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