Jubilee and NASA supporters equally poor. Or rich

Nairobi, Friday: NASA and Jubilee supporters are equally rich or poor, meaning there is no significant disparities in monthly household incomes up to the Sh100000 scale, a survey reveals.

According to a survey by IPSOS and released today, 52 per cent of the supporters of the two political blocs have a monthly household income of less than Sh10000.

On this score, Jubilee followers fare slightly better at 49 percent against 54 percent for NASA.

On the Sh10001 to Sh25000 monthly income bracket, NASA supporters have a slight edge with 26 percent of them belonging to this “club” against 23 percent in Jubilee. Overall, 24 percent of both blocs’ supporters fall under this category.

Eleven percent of Jubilee followers make between Sh25001 and Sh40000 as monthly household income while 8 percent of NASA supporters have a similar income. In total, 10 percent of both Jubilee and NASA followers are in this bracket.

A notch higher on the Sh40001-to-Sh50000 monthly earnings scale, NASA supporters constitute 4 percent, Jubilee 3 percent.

In the territory of Sh50001 to Sh75000 it’s a tie at 2 percent.

In matters international, the survey shows China’s diplomatic charm offensive and economic thrust as paying dividends for the emerging superpower across Kenya’s political divide.

Asked which foreign country outside East Africa they thought was the most important for Kenya to have good relations with, 44 percent of Jubilee supporters endorsed China while 24 percent of NASA followers preferred the same Eastern power.

Their preference for the US was Jubilee (26 per cent) and NASA (23 percent) indicating Washington’s waning global influence.

The main reason why the respondents (95 per cent of them) prefer better ties with China is economic (loans, grants and infrastructure). Eighty one percent indicated the US was also a good partner on that score.

Five percent of the respondents believe the US tolerates corruption than China (2 percent) but perceive the US (2 percent) as having negative cultural influence than China (O per cent).

Ironically, China’s economic muscle and vibrancy are perceived as the biggest threat to Kenya’s economic interests (jobs, markets) by 95 per cent of the respondents against a figure of 66 per cent for the US.

Zero percent Kenyans believe China will not interfere with elections but 15 percent think the US will do so.

Fieldwork for the research was done between March 4 and 12, 2018. Sampling methodology was random and multi-stage stratified using PPS (proportionate to population size) spread across 45 counties.

Kenyan adults, aged 18 and above living in urban and rural areas were interviewed.

Data collection methodology was face-to-face interviews at the household level while the sampling error was +/-2.16% with a 95% confidence level.

Interviews were in English, Swahili, and Somali.