Anti-riot police respond during a past protest /FILEForty-two per cent of Kenyans blame the national government for violence that has occurred during recent protests, a new Tifa Research survey shows.
The police were identified by 24 per cent of respondents as responsible for the violence, while 12 per cent blamed local politicians.
The findings are based on a survey examining who Kenyans considered most responsible for violence during demonstrations and protests.
Nine per cent of respondents blamed protesters or demonstrators, while six per cent pointed to jobless youth and Gen Z.
Three per cent blamed ordinary criminals, while four per cent said they were not sure who was responsible.
The survey also found differences between supporters and opponents of the broad-based government in how they viewed the role of the national government in protest violence.
Among BBG supporters, 29 per cent blamed the national government, compared with 52 per cent of those who oppose the BBG.
The police, however, received the same level of blame from both groups, with 24 per cent of BBG supporters and 24 per cent of opponents identifying them as responsible.
Local politicians were cited by 17 per cent of BBG supporters, compared with nine per cent among those who oppose the BBG.
Thirteen per cent of BBG supporters blamed protesters or demonstrators, compared with six per cent of BBG opponents.
Jobless youth and Gen Z were cited by nine per cent of BBG supporters and three per cent of opponents.
Ordinary criminals were blamed by three per cent of BBG supporters and two per cent of those opposed to the BBG.
The survey further shows that the proportion of Kenyans who blame the national government rises to 66 per cent when the police are considered part of the national government.
Among BBG supporters, the combined figure was 53 per cent, compared with 76 per cent among those who oppose the BBG.
The findings show a significant difference between the two groups in how they assign responsibility for violence during protests, particularly when the national government is considered alongside the police.
The survey was conducted by Tifa Research between June 13 and June 22, 2026.
It drew on a nationally representative sample of 2,048 respondents across nine regions: Central Rift, Coast, Lower Eastern, Mt Kenya, Nairobi, Northern, Nyanza, South Rift and Western.
Data was collected through face-to-face household interviews, conducted primarily in Swahili, with English also used where preferred by respondents.
The survey has an overall margin of error of plus or minus 2.18 percentage points, although the margin is higher for smaller sub-samples.
