Majority of Kenyans think the country is headed in the wrong direction

At least 59 per cent of Kenyans think the country is headed in the wrong direction, a study by Institute of Development Studies (IDS) has revealed.
The cause of the problem was poor management of the economy and global economic challenges.
According to Afrobarometer and IDS, more than 61 per cent respondents describe the country’s economic condition as the cause of the bad situation,while only 27 per cent see it as good. About half 49 per cent say their personal living conditions are bad, compared to just 33 per cent who say they are good.
The study reveals that compared to 12 months ago, 50 per cent of Kenyan adults describe the economic condition of the country as ‘worse’ or ‘much worse,’ while the other 32 per cent say it is better while 17 per cent say there is no change. At the individual level, 43 per cent say their personal living conditions have gotten worse.
Most Kenyans, according to the study, say they or a family member went without basic life necessities at least once during the previous year, including a cash income 90 per cent, medical care 68 per cent, and enough food 58 per cent. Fifty-nine per cent respondents said they experienced moderate or high levels of lived poverty during the past year.
During those hard situations, the study reveals, many Kenyans acknowledge they had to request assistance from other family members, friends, or neighbours, and/or religious, community, or charitable organisations in order to make ends meet.
“Most Kenyans are dissatisfied with the government’s performance on key economic issues, including its overall management of the economy 62 per cent.
Meanwhile, six out of 10 Kenya blame the government’s poor economic management for the increasing cost of living. While health, the increasing cost of living, and unemployment rank as the most important problems that Kenyans want their government to address.
Most Kenyans have consistently been saying that the country is headed in the wrong direction since 2011. The perception that Kenya is headed in the wrong direction increases with respondents’ experience of lived poverty, ranging from just 36 per cent among well-off citizens to 75 per cent among the poorest.
It is also common in cities than in rural areas (64% vs. 56%). The youngest respondents (52%) are somewhat less likely to see the country as headed in the wrong direction than their elders (58%-65%) are.
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