Majority of Kenyans unhappy with country’s direction, Infotrak poll shows

Coins decreasing AI illustration

A new Infotrak poll has revealed that a significant portion of Kenyans remain unhappy with the country’s direction, even as sentiment shows signs of gradual improvement.

According to the survey, 42 per cent of respondents believe the country is headed in the wrong direction, while only 21 per cent feel it is moving positively.

The remaining 32 per cent indicated that the nation is in neither the right nor wrong direction, reflecting a large segment of the population in a “wait-and-see” mode.

The findings, however, mark a notable improvement from September 2024, when a staggering 73 per cent of Kenyans expressed dissatisfaction with the country’s path.

Despite this improvement, the proportion of people who view the country as moving in the right direction has only grown modestly, from 15 per cent to 21 per cent, underscoring persistent caution among the populace.

The survey also highlighted differences in perception across gender, region, and age groups.

Men are slightly more optimistic, with 23 per cent expressing positive sentiment compared to 18 per cent of women.

"Regionally, North Eastern Kenya leads in optimism, with 42 per cent of residents believing the country is on the right track. In contrast, Central Kenya reports the highest level of dissatisfaction, with 65 per cent indicating the country is moving in the wrong direction," the poll states.

Among age groups, the youngest cohort (18–26 years) shows the lowest level of “wrong direction” sentiment at 38 per cent, but also registers a relatively high “don’t know” response at 12 per cent, suggesting political detachment or uncertainty among youth.

The poll identified economic hardships and cost of living as the primary drivers of negative sentiment, cited by 67 per cent of respondents.

Other concerns include unemployment (33%), poor governance and politics (27%), and education sector challenges (26%).

Stalled development and infrastructure issues were highlighted by 25 per cent, health sector failures (12%), rampant corruption (10%), and human rights violations (8%) also emerged as pressing concerns.

For those expressing positive sentiment, the main reasons include the perception that the government is performing well (46%), good infrastructure (23%), and the positive impact of devolution, with 29 per cent highlighting that governors and county assemblies are working effectively.

Other factors contributing to optimism include peace in the country (22%), affordable cost of living (16%), improvements in healthcare (16%) and education (11%), and efforts to fight corruption and political cooperation between ODM and UDA (each 8 per cent).

Emerging issues noted in the late 2025 survey suggest growing public concern about stalled development, infrastructure delays, health sector inefficiencies, and human rights violations.

These findings underline the multifaceted challenges influencing Kenyans’ perceptions of the country’s trajectory.

Overall, the Infotrak poll paints a picture of cautious optimism tempered by persistent economic, political, and social concerns.

While fewer Kenyans now feel the country is on the wrong path compared to a year ago, the survey highlights the work still required by policymakers to address pressing issues and build confidence in the nation’s direction.