Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja would win the county’s gubernatorial race if elections were held today, a new study shows.

According to Tifa new opinion poll, Sakaja (pictured) scored 30 per cent to become the most popular choice for Nairobi residents followed by Nairobi Woman Rep Esther Passaris with 11 per cent.

“With the actual ballot ‘menu’ of candidates still far from final, it is too early to tell whether his sizable lead will hold up over the next eight months. It is also unclear whether supporters of any of these potential gubernatorial candidates believe they have the capacity to address such challenges as unemployment, which is mainly affected by national-level policies,” findings of the report released yesterday indicated.

Other contenders rated in the poll were Westlands MP Tim Wanyonyi, who was third with six per cent, former Starehe MP Bishop Margaret Wanjiru with five per cent and Edwin Sifuna, Jimi Wanjigi and Agnes Kagure with four per cent each.

Others sampled in the poll were the current Governor Anne Kananu, her predecessor Mike Sonko and Peter Kenneth who scored two per cent, respectively.

“With next year’s elections eight months away, none of these election-related popularity ratings should be considered as a ‘prediction’ of what is going to happen.

Still, all of the other issues covered in this 2nd Release (and those in the 1st Release as well) will influence the level at which Kenyans will pay attention to various aspects of the electoral process and then actually vote, and what factors are likely to inform their choices.

Public issues 
The poll conducted between November 7 and November 13, covered a variety of public issues including economic, political and social welfare.
On voter registration, at least 30 per cent of the respondents said they have not taken part because they lack interest in politics and voting.

Some 22 per cent said they were too busy but hope to register before election, 14 per cent said the future intentions are unclear while 11 per cent have no national identity card because they have either lost it or are yet to be issued with one.

The survey also sampled pressing problems facing Nairobi residents.
At least 31 per cent of Nairobians cited unemployment followed by water and electricity supply at 16 per cent, inflation at 114 per cent while another 7 per cent and five per cent said crime and poverty respectively.
The poll also showed that only a small proportion, 13 per cent of Nairobi residents are employed on a full time basis.