Most Kenyans still remember Ruto promised to reduce cost of living during campaigns – TIFA
By Ascah Mwango, September 13, 2023
Many Kenyans still remember President William Ruto’s campaign promises, particularly his pledge to reduce the cost of living, according to recent research by Trends and Insights For Africa (TIFA).
The study, conducted between September 8-10, encompassed a nationally representative sample across nine zones in Kenya: Central Rift, Coast, Lower Eastern, Mt. Kenya, Nairobi, Northern, Nyanza, South Rift, and Western, with a total of 1,007 respondents interviewed.
Ruto’s campaign promise to reduce the high cost of living has left a lasting impression, with a significant 47% of respondents recalling this commitment.
29% were aware of his promise to support small businesses/hustlers, 18% remembered his commitment to creating employment opportunities, 14% were aware of his pledge to subsidize agriculture, and 9% remembered his promise to reduce the cost of education.
Regarding the perceived progress in implementing these campaign promises, 44% of respondents believed that “a great deal” had been accomplished in subsidizing agriculture, while 26% felt the same about assistance to small businesses/hustlers.
In contrast, only 8% believed that significant progress had been made in reducing the high cost of living, with a similar percentage having the same perception regarding employment creation.
Meanwhile, 11% believed there had been substantial progress in reducing the cost of education.
When asked about their confidence in Ruto’s administration fulfilling these campaign promises by 2027, the responses were as follows: 60% were confident that the promise to subsidize agriculture would be realized, 39% felt the government would assist small businesses/hustlers, 37% believed the high cost of living would decrease, 29% expected job creation, and 31% anticipated a reduction in the cost of education.
The research was conducted through telephonic interviews, mainly in Swahili and English, with respondents whose contact information was obtained from previous face-to-face household interviews.