NAIROBI, Kenya – A new survey by TIFA Research shows that most Kenyans feel their personal and family economic conditions have deteriorated sharply since the Kenya Kwanza administration came to power in 2022.
The poll, conducted in August and September 2025, found that 64% of Kenyans now say their economic situation has worsened over the past three years.
This marks a significant 10-point increase from 54% in May, underscoring a deepening sense of economic despair.
Only 24% of respondents said their situation had improved, down from 29% in May, while those who felt their circumstances remained the same plummeted from 25% to just 7%.
Rising economic strain
The findings align with growing public frustration over soaring living costs, high taxation, and stagnant incomes.
More households report difficulty meeting basic needs, as food, fuel, and essential goods become increasingly unaffordable.
“These results confirm what many Kenyans have been saying: life is getting harder, not easier,” TIFA noted in its report.
Unpopular policies
The gloomy outlook comes against the backdrop of the Finance Act 2025, which introduced new taxes widely criticised as burdensome.
The government has argued that its bottom-up economic model and structural reforms are designed to stabilise the economy in the long run, but the survey suggests the benefits are yet to reach ordinary citizens.
Three years in office
The Kenya Kwanza administration is marking its third year in office, a period in which it has consistently defended its policies as necessary for long-term recovery.
However, the TIFA data indicates that patience among citizens is wearing thin.
The survey provides statistical weight to the narrative that the government’s promises of economic relief remain largely unfulfilled.
