Public dissatisfaction with Kenya’s direction has reached one of its highest levels since TIFA Research began tracking the issue, with three in four Kenyans saying the country is heading in the wrong direction.
The latest TIFA survey, released on September 9, 2026, shows that 76% of Kenyans believe the country is moving in the wrong direction.
The figure has risen from 68% recorded in November 2025.
Only 14% of respondents said Kenya is moving in the right direction, while the remaining respondents either had no opinion or did not provide a response.
The findings are contained in TIFA’s latest survey on Kenyans’ economic conditions, the country’s direction, selected policy issues and institutional trust.
The survey shows significant regional differences in how Kenyans view the country’s direction.
Residents of Northern and Central Rift recorded the highest levels of positive views, with 38% and 24% respectively saying the country was heading in the right direction.
However, even in these regions, fewer than half of respondents held a positive view.
On the negative side, Mt Kenya recorded the highest level of dissatisfaction, with 90% of respondents saying the country was heading in the wrong direction.
Nairobi followed at 89%, while Lower Eastern and South Rift recorded 83% and 82%, respectively.
TIFA said perceptions of the country’s direction have fluctuated over the past two years.
The highest proportion of Kenyans saying the country was heading in the right direction was recorded in September 2023, when the figure stood at 49%.
The lowest levels were recorded in May 2025, May 2026 and June 2026, when only 14% of respondents in each survey said the country was moving in the right direction.
Conversely, the highest levels of those saying Kenya was heading in the wrong direction were recorded during the same periods.
The negative figures stood at 75% in May 2025, 74% in May 2026 and 76% in June 2026.
TIFA also found a strong relationship between political alignment and perceptions of Kenya’s direction.
Among supporters of the Broad-Based Government (BBG), 55% said the country was heading in the wrong direction.
The figure rose to 88% among those who oppose the BBG.
Among respondents who had no opinion, or declined to express an opinion, about the BBG, 77% said Kenya was moving in the wrong direction compared with 14% who held a positive view.
The findings suggest that political affiliation plays an important role in how Kenyans assess the country’s performance.
The survey also established a strong link between household economic conditions and perceptions of the country’s direction.
Among Kenyans who said the country was heading in the right direction, 39% reported that their personal or household economic situation had improved since the 2022 General Election.
Only 7% of those who believed the country was moving in the wrong direction reported an improvement.
On the other hand, 75% of those who said Kenya was heading in the wrong direction reported that their economic situation had worsened.
This compared with 25% among those who believed the country was moving in the right direction.
TIFA said the findings suggest that economic conditions play a major role in shaping Kenyans’ views about the country’s direction, although they are not the only factor.
The relationship between economic circumstances and national perceptions was also evident among respondents who said they were better off than four years ago.
According to TIFA, 36% of those who reported an improved economic situation said Kenya was moving in the right direction, compared with only 4% who said the country was heading in the wrong direction.
Among those whose economic situation had worsened, 88% said Kenya was moving in the wrong direction, compared with 52% who held a positive view.
However, TIFA noted that a significant proportion of Kenyans who reported improved economic conditions still viewed the country’s direction negatively.
This suggests that factors beyond personal finances also influence how Kenyans assess the country’s overall performance.
The economy remains the most serious problem facing Kenyans, according to the survey.
About 69% of respondents identified economic issues as the country’s biggest problem.
Unemployment and poverty accounted for 44%, while inflation and high prices were cited by 25%.
Corruption followed at 19%.
Other problems received significantly fewer mentions, collectively accounting for about 7% of responses.
TIFA said the findings indicate that the impact of the sharp fuel price increases witnessed in April and May has reduced somewhat in public perceptions.
Unemployment and poverty have returned to the leading position, matching the 44% recorded in November last year.
At the same time, the proportion identifying inflation and high prices as the country’s biggest problem declined from 47% in May to 25%.
This came despite inflation remaining at around 6.5%.
The survey also examined crime experiences among Kenyans.
About 8% of respondents said they had been victims of crime during the first half of 2026.
TIFA noted that the figure broadly compares with crime victimisation rates recorded in previous Governance, Justice, Law and Order Sector (GJLOS) surveys covering longer periods.
However, significant regional differences emerged.
South Rift recorded the highest proportion of respondents reporting that they had been victims of crime at 14%.
Nairobi and Lower Eastern followed at 13% each.
The lowest levels were recorded in Coast at 6%, while Northern and Central Rift each recorded 3%.
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