Kirinyaga County Woman Representative Njeri Maina has defended the integrity of a newly released Infotrak poll.

Maina spoke to a local TV station on Thursday, July 2, 2026, after the survey placed her at the top of the national Woman Representative rankings.

The ranking also attracted questions over how the poll was conducted and whether money could have influenced the outcome.

Maina, however, dismissed suggestions that the ranking was financially influenced, saying no respondent was asked to pay money to Infotrak or offer any form of benefit.

Poll integrity

“We all agree that no one was approached by Infotrak to give any monetary value, whether in cash or any kind. That is why we can say the integrity of the poll conducted by Infotrak is above reproach,” Maina said.

Her response sought to draw a clear line between public perception surveys and political patronage.

The Kirinyaga Woman Representative argued that the credibility of the poll should be judged on whether the process was independent, not on whether those ranked agree or disagree with the final outcome.

Her top ranking now strengthens her profile beyond Kirinyaga, especially at a time when elected leaders are increasingly being judged on visibility, public engagement, constituency work and national legislative presence.

Ranking debate

Kisumu Senator Tom Ojienda also weighed in on the Infotrak rankings, saying he was neither consulted nor approached by the polling firm before the results were released.

“I was neither consulted nor approached by Infotrak about the rankings. Pollsters use different parameters, and I don’t know the criteria they applied,” Ojienda said.

The senator, however, said strong public performance naturally improves an elected leader’s chances in such rankings.

“But if you perform through legislation, oversight and representation, you will naturally rank among the top. The bigger the sample size, the more objective the results become,” he added.

Ojienda’s remarks pointed to a broader issue in performance polling: methodology matters.

For elected leaders, rankings can become powerful political capital. For voters, they are useful only when the criteria, sample size and data collection methods are clear enough to inspire confidence.

Public scorecard

The Infotrak poll has once again placed elected leaders under public scrutiny.

For Woman Representatives, whose roles often receive less national attention compared to governors, senators and MPs, such rankings can shape public perception and influence future political positioning.

Maina’s defence of the poll now places her on record that the survey was not bought, not influenced by cash and not driven by private inducement.

Her message was direct: the ranking should stand on the strength of the process.

With Kenya moving deeper into the 2027 political cycle, public performance polls are likely to become more consequential, especially for leaders seeking re-election or higher office.