A recent survey conducted by InfoTrak has identified the high cost of living as the most pressing issue for Kenyans, with 51% of respondents prioritizing it above all other concerns.
The survey, executed in partnership with the Electoral Law and Governance Institute for Africa (ELGIA), included responses from 2,400 individuals across all 47 counties between November 16 and November 30, 2024. Unemployment emerged as the second major concern, with 36% of participants indicating joblessness as critical, followed closely by corruption, which 24% identified as a significant problem.
Additionally, concerns over excessive taxation and the transition from the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) to the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) were noted by 23% of respondents. Other issues mentioned include access to quality education, the cost of doing business, extrajudicial killings, insecurity, poverty reduction, youth empowerment and the cost of agricultural inputs such as fertilizer and mechanical equipment.
The survey boasts a margin of error of ±2% at a 95% confidence level, reflecting a high degree of reliability in its findings. The data is meticulously processed and analyzed using SPSS 26, a statistical software renowned for its accuracy. Regionally, the high cost of living remained the foremost concern across all eight areas surveyed, with responses ranging from 45% to 55%. Unemployment demonstrated variability, affecting between 32% and 39% of respondents.
Furthermore, the survey highlighted gender disparities with 52% of women reporting the high cost of living as a major issue compared to 49% of men, while each gender reported equal concern over unemployment at 36%. Notably, male respondents were more likely to cite corruption as a significant problem (25%) compared to female respondents (22%). In another recent survey, InfoTrak reveals that television (TV) continues to be the primary source of information for 67 per cent of Kenyans.
The data collection method featured a combination of desk research, quantitative interviews and qualitative key informant interviews, complemented by focus group discussions. Following TV, radio ranked as the second most trusted medium at 54 percent, with social media close behind at 50 percent. The findings highlight a regional disparity in information consumption, with Nairobi leading at 77 percent reliance on TV, while other regions such as the Coast, North Eastern, and Eastern reported trust levels of 64 percent, 59 percent, and 70 percent respectively.
Central and Rift Valley also demonstrated strong reliance on television, at 70 and 68 percent, whereas Western and Nyanza reported 62 and 59 percent respectively. In contrast, traditional media such as newspapers accounted for only nine percent of the source of information, and interpersonal communication through friends and family was notably low, at four percent.
