Worse off: Two in three Kenyans feel poorer than before 2022 polls
National
By
David Njaaga
| Sep 09, 2026
Majority of Kenyans in the country report that their personal economic situation has worsened since the 2022 election, according to a new survey by TIFA Research.
The survey, TIFA's second release from its national poll conducted between June 13 and June 22, found that 66 per cent of respondents say they are worse off than before the last election.
Only 12 per cent report an improvement, while 23 per cent say their situation has stayed the same.
Researchers interviewed 2,048 adults across all 47 counties through face-to-face household interviews.
The findings mark a slight shift from May 2026, when 75 per cent of respondents reported a worsening situation, TIFA Research said.
The share reporting improvement has also edged up from 10 per cent recorded in August 2025, though it remains below the 19 per cent recorded in May 2026.
Regional disparities emerged across the nine zones tracked by the pollster.
Mt Kenya recorded the highest share of respondents reporting a worsening economic situation at 79 per cent, followed by Western at 74 per cent. Nairobi and Lower Eastern each recorded 69 per cent.
Even in zones where support for the Broad-Based Government runs highest, negative sentiment remained the majority view.
Nyanza recorded 58 per cent reporting a worsening situation, Central Rift recorded 53 per cent and Northern recorded 49 per cent.
Among Kenyans who support the Broad-Based Government arrangement between President William Ruto and the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, 50 per cent report a worsening economic situation. Among those opposed to the arrangement, the figure rises to 71 per cent.
Unemployment and poverty topped the list of concerns Kenyans identified as the country's most serious problem, cited by 44 per cent of respondents.
Inflation, high prices and high taxes followed at 25 per cent. Corruption ranked third at 19 per cent.
Estimated household income figures have shown little movement over the past year, TIFA Research noted, even as inflation has climbed from around 4 per cent in 2025 to nearly 7 per cent, driven partly by fuel price increases linked to the conflict in the Middle East.
The proportion of households earning less than Sh10,000 a month has declined to 23 per cent from 29 per cent a year earlier, a shift the pollster linked to the reported decline in Kenyans citing a worsening economic condition.