NAIROBI, Kenya — Two-thirds of Kenyans say their personal or household economic situation has worsened since the 2022 General Election, according to a new national survey by Trends and Insights for Africa (TIFA) Research, highlighting persistent concerns over the cost of living and household finances under President William Ruto’s administration.
The survey, released on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, found that 66 per cent of respondents said they were worse off economically than they were before the 2022 election, while only 12 per cent reported an improvement.
TIFA’s second release from its June 2026 national poll was conducted through face-to-face household interviews with 2,048 randomly selected adults across all 47 counties between June 13 and 22, 2026.
The survey has a margin of error of ±2.18 per cent.
Most Kenyans report worsening finances
When respondents were asked whether their personal or family economic situation was better, worse or about the same as before the last election, 65 per cent said it was worse.
Another 23 per cent said their situation was about the same, while only 12 per cent said it had improved.
A companion chart using slightly different wording placed the proportion of Kenyans who felt worse off at 66 per cent, with the share reporting an improvement remaining at 12 per cent.
The findings show that negative perceptions of household finances have remained persistent despite some fluctuations over the past year.
Economic pessimism remains stubbornly high
TIFA’s tracking data shows that the proportion of Kenyans reporting that they are worse off has remained above 60 per cent since the research organisation began monitoring the trend in May 2025.
The figures were:
- May 2025: 75 per cent worse off; 10 per cent better off
- August 2025: 70 per cent worse off; 10 per cent better off
- November 2025: 67 per cent worse off; 15 per cent better off
- May 2026: 64 per cent worse off; 19 per cent better off
- June 2026: 65 per cent worse off; 12 per cent better off
Although the proportion reporting a deterioration has declined from the 75 per cent recorded in May 2025, TIFA researchers said there had been “no (statistically significant) change” since November 2025.
At the same time, the proportion reporting an improvement fell to its lowest level since August 2025.
TIFA warned that the economic mood could have political consequences ahead of the next election.
“With some two-thirds of Kenyans indicating a worsening of their economic situation, unless this changes over the next year, it could be challenging for all politicians seeking re-election, especially those identified with the incumbent government,” the report states.
Economic pain reported across regions
The perception of worsening economic conditions was recorded across all nine of TIFA’s sampling zones.
The strongest sense of economic deterioration was reported in Mt. Kenya, where 79 per cent said they were worse off, followed by Western at 74 per cent.
The figure stood at 71 per cent in South Rift, 69 per cent in Lower Eastern, and 69 per cent in Nairobi.
TIFA recorded 57 per cent at the Coast and 53 per cent in Central Rift.
The survey also found that even regions where support for the Broad-Based Government (BBG) is strongest reported significant economic difficulties.
In Nyanza, 58 per cent said they were worse off, compared with 53 per cent in Central Rift and 49 per cent in Northern Kenya.
The findings suggest that concerns over household finances cut across political and regional divides.
Political affiliation shapes economic perceptions
The survey found a clear difference between BBG supporters and opponents in how respondents assessed their economic circumstances.
Among BBG supporters, 50 per cent said their economic situation had worsened since 2022, while 19 per cent said it had improved.
Among BBG opponents, 71 per cent reported being worse off, while only 8 per cent reported an improvement.
TIFA researchers said the difference indicates that political alignment may influence how Kenyans assess their economic circumstances, although it does not completely account for the negative outlook.
“Additional data would be required to determine whether such contrasts reflect actual economic differences, or rather, are (mainly) a consequence of political bias,” the report notes.
National economy receives bleak rating
The pessimism was even more pronounced when respondents were asked to assess Kenya’s economy as a whole rather than their individual household circumstances.
Sixty-five per cent of respondents described the national economic situation as “very bad”, while only 2 per cent considered it “very good.”
Even among BBG supporters, the negative assessment remained dominant.
The survey found that 48 per cent of BBG supporters described the national economy as “very bad”, compared with only 4 per cent who considered it “very good”.
The results point to a broad perception of economic difficulty that extends beyond individual household experiences.
Economic outlook could shape 2027 politics
The findings come as Kenya moves closer to the 2027 General Election, with TIFA warning that persistent economic dissatisfaction could pose challenges for politicians seeking re-election.
