President William Ruto’s administration is facing renewed scrutiny over the state of the economy after a new Trends and Insights for Africa (TIFA) Research survey identified unemployment and poverty as the biggest challenges confronting Kenyans.
The poll, released on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, found that 44 per cent of respondents cited unemployment and poverty as the country’s most pressing problem, placing economic hardship ahead of other concerns.
Inflation, high prices and taxation ranked second, with 25 per cent of respondents identifying them as major challenges. Corruption followed at 19 per cent, while seven per cent mentioned poor leadership.
Other issues raised during the survey included limited access to healthcare, threats to peace and stability, political and ethnic tensions, as well as crime and insecurity.
TIFA noted that unemployment and poverty had regained the top position after inflation and high prices briefly overtook them following fuel price increases earlier in the year.
"Looking at the trend regarding Kenyan’s views, it emerges that the ‘shock’ of the fuel price increases in April and May has worn off somewhat, as unemployment returned to its leading position," TIFA stated.
The findings form part of TIFA’s June 2026 national poll, which involved face-to-face interviews with 2,048 randomly selected adults across all 47 counties between June 13 and June 22. The survey has a margin of error of ±2.18 per cent.
The research also painted a difficult picture of household finances. About 65 per cent of respondents reported that their economic situation had deteriorated since the 2022 General Election, compared with only 12 per cent who indicated an improvement.
The figure represents a slight decline from the 75 per cent recorded in May 2025, but TIFA cautioned that the overall trend has remained largely unchanged since November 2025.
"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 pressure cuts across regions
The report found financial strain across all nine sampling zones covered by TIFA, with majorities in every region saying their circumstances had worsened since 2022.
Mt. Kenya recorded the highest proportion at 79 per cent, followed by Western at 74 per cent, South Rift at 71 per cent, and Nairobi and Lower Eastern at 69 per cent each. Coast recorded 57 per cent, while Central Rift stood at 53 per cent. The findings indicate that economic dissatisfaction extends beyond specific political or geographic blocs.
Even regions where support for the Broad-Based Government (BBG) is relatively strong recorded substantial levels of economic distress. TIFA found that 58 per cent of respondents in Nyanza, 53 per cent in Central Rift and 49 per cent in Northern Kenya reported being worse off compared to 2022.
Political affiliation influences perceptions
The survey established a notable difference between BBG supporters and opponents when respondents assessed their personal financial circumstances.
Half of BBG supporters reported that their economic situation had worsened, while 19 per cent indicated an improvement. Among those opposed to the arrangement, 71 per cent reported deterioration, compared with only eight per cent who said their circumstances had improved.
TIFA cautioned that political affiliation may influence how respondents assess economic conditions, although the data does not establish whether the differences reflect actual variations in living standards.
"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.
Kenyans were similarly pessimistic when assessing the wider national economy. Sixty-five per cent described the country’s economic situation as "very bad", while only two per cent considered it "very good".
Even among BBG supporters, 48 per cent rated the national economy as "very bad", compared with four per cent who considered it "very good".
The survey further found that only 58 per cent of Kenyans were engaged in full-time, part-time or self-employment, while just 11 per cent reported earning more than Ksh50,000 per month, highlighting the scale of the employment and income pressures facing households.
