At least 18 per cent of Kenyans considers increased public debt as President Uhuru Kenyatta’s negative legacy.
In a survey that was conducted between June 28 and July 24, 2021 involving 1,550 respondents (females 51 per cent, males 49 per cent), seventeen per cent believe that Kenyatta’s administration was affected by economic hardships for many Kenyans.
Trends and Insights For Africa (TIFA) research firm findings also shows that eleven per cent perceive that the President’s legacy has been affected by increased corruption.
“Five per cent of Kenyans believed that Uhuru violated the Constitution while two per cent said that he betrayed his Deputy President William Ruto,” stated Tifa.
The country’s overall public debt increased from 48.6 per cent of GDP at the end of 2015 to an estimated 69 per cent of GDP at the end of 2020.
As of September 2020, the country’s external public debt was 51.4 per cent of its total debt stock of Sh.7.1 trillion.
The International Monetary Fund recommends that ratios of public debt to GDP not exceeding 40 per cent for developing countries.
The ballooning public debt has been partly driven by large spending on infrastructure projects and by the Covid-19 global shock in 2020.
However, a huge percentage of Kenyans are impressed by the President’s rollout of major development projects.
By far, most Kenyans, 47 per cent, consider the launch of infrastructure projects including the Standard Gauge Railway were positive aspects of Kenyatta’s legacy.
Ten per cent of the respondents said that the president enhanced national unity through Handshake with Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga.
Four per cent believed that Kenyatta extended the electricity grid, equal to those who believe that he provided jobs or financial support for the needy while two per cent said that he reduced the cost of education.
The survey addressed a wide range of critical economic, political, and social welfare public issues.