Majority of Kenyans believe govt economic performance is poor – report

A new nationwide survey has revealed that a majority of Kenyans consider the government’s economic performance to be inadequate, even as optimism persists for personal financial growth and future business conditions.

The findings, published by Stahili Pulse Reports, offer an in-depth view of public sentiment regarding the state of the economy and expectations for the months ahead.

The survey collected responses from 1,209 participants across multiple counties, with Nairobi leading at 15.6% of respondents.

The remaining participants were drawn from Kiambu, Nakuru, Nyeri, Kericho, Bungoma, Kakamega, and other counties, with those labelled as “Others” accounting for 48.3% of the sample.

On the government’s economic performance, 35.8% of respondents described it as poor, 25.8% as fair, while 23% rated it excellent, and 15.2% as good.

This indicates that more than 61% of Kenyans view the government’s economic management as suboptimal, compared to 38% who see it positively.

The survey was heavily skewed towards younger and male participants.

Gen Z made up the largest cohort at 52.5%, followed by an unnamed demographic group at 30.5%, and Millennials at 15.1%.

The remainder, including Gen X, Baby Boomers, and Gen Alpha, were mentioned but not assigned specific percentages.

Male respondents comprised 74.4% of the sample, with females at 21.3%, and the rest preferring not to disclose their gender.

Despite dissatisfaction with government performance, many Kenyans remain optimistic about their personal financial outlook.

66.4% expect their family income to increase, 19% foresee it remaining the same, and 14.5% anticipate a decrease.

Meanwhile, retail prices are expected to rise by 66.4% of respondents, 23.1% expect them to fall, and 10.5% believe they will remain unchanged.

Similarly, 67.9% anticipate interest rates will go up, 22.4% expect them to stay the same, and 9.7% foresee a decrease.

Business sentiment

Business sentiment reflects both recent challenges and cautious optimism.

Nearly half of respondents (49.6%) reported that business conditions are worse than six months ago, while 34.1% felt they are better, and 16.3% said conditions remain about the same.

 Looking ahead, 48.1% expect business conditions to improve in the next six months, 27.1% foresee deterioration, and 24.8% anticipate little change.

Consumer confidence mirrors this cautious optimism. 46.7% of respondents say it is a good time to buy, 32.4% consider it a bad time, and 20.8% feel it is the same as any other time.

In terms of personal financial wellbeing, 52% feel better off compared to a year ago, 28.6% worse off, and 19.4% about the same.

Looking ahead, 67.3% expect to be better off financially in a year, 16.8% worse off, and 16% about the same.

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