Majority of Kenyans want Raila Odinga to quit politics - Ipsos Synovate poll

Kenya: Majority of Kenyans want former Prime Minister Raila Odinga to quit national politics, according to a new opinion poll. Still, most of the respondents alluded confidence in the new ODM leadership.

In twin polls released yesterday by Ipsos Synovate, some 42 per cent of Kenyans want Raila to ‘completely retires’ from politics while 25 per cent think he should continue. They, however, say he should not contest the next General Election.

Of those who want Raila to quit politics, 65 per cent are Jubilee supporters. However, some 48 per cent of CORD supporters want him to remain active in his party and even contest the presidency if he wants. 53 per cent of the 2,190 respondents approve the new ODM leadership with 85 per cent of them affiliated to ODM.

However, the Jubilee coalition remains more popular compared to other political parties with 41 per cent of Kenyans feeling close to the President’s party compared to 27 per cent for CORD.

President Kenyatta has the highest confidence rating at 51 per cent against his deputy William Ruto’s 42 per cent following the withdrawal of the charges against the President by ICC’s Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda.

Of those polled, 77 per cent support Bensouda’s decision against 18 per cent who oppose it. More than half of Kenyans want Ruto and Joshua Sang’s case terminated while only 30 per cent want the case to continue. Half of those polled have confidence in the First Lady Margaret Kenyatta probably because of her work for women and children through her beyond zero campaign.

Some 37 per cent of respondents have no confidence at in CORD Principal Raila compared to only 27 per cent who have confidence in him.

Confidence ratings for CORD Principals Kalonzo Musyoka and Senator Moses Wetangula, Majority Leader Aden Duale, the Opposition, Political Parties, MPs and House Speaker Justin Muturi are 16, 15, 18, 16, 19, 22 and 15 per cent respectively.

Respondents in the November poll has 26 per cent confidence in the National government while the Cabinet Secretaries, County Commissioners, Department of Immigration have the least confidence ratings at 19, 18 and 12 per cent respectively.

The respondents have more confidence in governors than senators. Even with the government introducing laws seen as to gag the media, the public has more trust in the fourth estate compared to government bodies.

42 per cent of those interviewed have confidence in the media against religious leaders (35 per cent) and Ipsos Kenya Limited  at 34 per cent.

Shockingly, government institutions led by Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) are among bodies where Kenyans have lost confidence. Majority of respondents do not trust EACC (26 per cent), followed by the IEBC (25 per cent), National Land Commission (21 per cent), Sarah Serem led Salaries and Remuneration Commission (17 per cent) and Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko (16 per cent).

Confidence in the country’s security and the Judiciary remains significantly low with 20 per cent of those interviewed having no confidence in the police and 17 per cent do not believe the judiciary. However, more Kenyans have a lot of confidence in the KDF (48 per cent).