TIFA: Three-quarters of Kenyans say the country is heading in the wrong direction
By Aloys Michael, June 4, 2026A growing majority of Kenyans are losing confidence in the country’s trajectory, with a new poll showing that nearly three-quarters believe Kenya is headed in the wrong direction amid rising living costs, unemployment concerns and persistent economic hardships.
The latest survey by Trends and Insights For Africa (TIFA), a leading public opinion research organisation, found that 74 per cent of Kenyans say the country is moving in the wrong direction, compared to just 14 per cent who believe it is on the right track.
The findings, released on Thursday, June 4, 2026, show that a nation is increasingly frustrated by economic pressures and dissatisfied with the state of governance.
The findings reflect one of the highest levels of public dissatisfaction recorded by TIFA since it began tracking the indicator.
“Public sentiment has shifted decisively negative, with nearly three-quarters of Kenyans now saying the country is heading in the wrong direction,” TIFA noted in its report.
The survey, conducted between May 2 and May 11, 2026, among 2,013 respondents across all 47 counties, found that dissatisfaction has spread across nearly all regions of the country. The strongest negative sentiment was recorded in Mt Kenya, where 89 per cent said the country was on the wrong track, followed by Lower Eastern at 85 per cent and Nairobi at 76 per cent.
Economic hardships emerged as the key driver of public frustration. The poll found that 64 per cent of Kenyans say their personal or family economic situation has worsened since the 2022 General Election, while only 19 per cent report an improvement.
“Economic sentiment remains fragile, with nearly two-thirds of households still reporting that they are worse off compared to the last election, suggesting that perceptions of recovery have yet to translate into lived experience,” the survey reads.
The economy dominated public concerns, with 47 per cent citing inflation, high prices and taxation as the country’s most serious problem, while another 23 per cent pointed to unemployment, poverty and hunger. Combined, seven in ten Kenyans identified economic issues as the biggest challenge facing the nation.
The survey further found a strong link between economic wellbeing and perceptions of the country’s direction. Among respondents who said their financial situation had worsened since 2022, a staggering 88 per cent believe Kenya is moving in the wrong direction.
“Politics remains influential; economic issues are not the total determinant of views about the country’s direction; they certainly play a major role,” the poll authority said.