Poverty and bad economy top as Kenya’s most serious problems – TIFA
By Faith Lagat, December 18, 2025A new national survey by TIFA Research has confirmed what many Kenyans already feel in their daily lives: the economy remains the country’s most pressing crisis.
According to the findings released on December 18, 2025, an overwhelming majority of citizens identify economic hardships as Kenya’s top challenge, far surpassing concerns over corruption, governance, or security.
When asked to name the single most serious problem facing the nation, 44% of respondents pointed to “unemployment/poverty/bad economy/hunger,” while another 23% cited “inflation/high prices/high taxes.”
Combined, these economic concerns accounted for 67% of responses. Corruption, the next highest issue, was mentioned by just 20%, with all other problems, including poor leadership, healthcare access, and education, trailing far behind with single-digit percentages.
“Kenyans overwhelmingly define the country’s problems in economic terms, with unemployment, poverty, and high prices far outweighing political, security, or social concerns,” the TIFA report states.
“For most Kenyans, the national crisis is not political instability or security; it is economic survival.”
Economic Sentiments and Political Views
The economic gloom overshadows political developments, including shifting views on the Broad-Based Government (BBG) formed through cooperation between President William Ruto and the late Raila Odinga.
“TIFA’s last three surveys reveal that support for the BBG has doubled (from 22% in May to 44% in November), though the “oppose” figure for August (64%) was the highest.”
“Most likely as a result of the violent suppression of protests in June and July, the memories of which (among most Kenyans, at least) may be fading, with the “oppose” figure (48%) now at its lowest level across all three surveys.”
Support for this arrangement has risen to 44% from 22% in May, yet opposition remains strong at 48%. Notably, economic perceptions align with political attitudes: 79% of BBG opponents report worsening finances since 2022, compared to 55% of supporters.
Turning to the main focus of the survey, the economy, TIFA concludes that employment remains a major challenge for Kenyans.
“In terms of employment, only about half of Kenyan adults are working either full- or part-time (including those in self-employment: 63%), yet total household income figures show that only about one in ten (9%) are enjoying incomes of more than Ksh 50,000 per month,” the report states, highlighting the persistent economic pressures faced by the majority of households across the country.