Kenyans' pessimism rising over 2017 poll - survey

An Independent Boundaries and Electoral Commission official registers a voter at Olkalou town in Nyandarua County on February 20, 2016. PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • One in three Kenyans say they will not be surprised if the next elections are marred by violence, according to a new survey by AfriCOG.
  • A large majority of Kenyans (80.5 per cent) wants politicians with "questionable character" barred from the 2017 polls, with 34 per cent saying they will not vote unless the status quo changes.

Many Kenyans say they are discouraged over the electoral process as the 2017 polls date nears, with some even saying they would stay at home if the elections “were held tomorrow”.

One in three Kenyans say they will not be surprised if the next elections are marred by violence, according to a new survey by AfriCOG.

A large majority of Kenyans (80.5 per cent) want politicians with "questionable character" barred from the 2017 polls, with 34 per cent saying they will not vote unless the status quo changes.

Respondents from Nairobi, Nyanza and western Kenya were the most pessimistic, with 25 per cent of Nairobians saying they are not planning to vote next year.

Some 67.3 per cent of Kenyans also feel that President Uhuru Kenyatta should consult the Opposition before appointing the next members of the Independent and Electoral Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

The new report comes barely a week after a similar survey revealed that more Kenyans (62 per cent) were pessimistic about the state of politics than those who were pessimistic about the economy (55 per cent).