Study reveals economic inequalities between Cord, Jubilee supporters

Twice as many Coalition for Reforms and Democracy supporters compared to Jubilee coalition’s are likely to go to bed hungry, a new Ipsos survey has shown.

While 52 per cent of Kenyans said not everyone in their family gets enough food to eat and 31 per cent said at least one person in their family goes to bed hungry, but 18 per cent more of Cord supporters experience “bedtime hunger” compared to 23 per cent in Jubilee households.

The study revealed that half of Kenyans (52 per cent) reported worsened household economic conditions in the past three months.

However, 28 per cent of Jubilee supporters believe that economic conditions have improved in the same period compared to 11 per cent of Cord's.

In terms of the perceived prevalence of local poverty, just about one in five people think that “all” or “most” people in their areas are suffering from poverty.

Of those, 27 per cent of Cord respondents reported living in poverty compared to 14 per cent of Jubilee supporters.

HALF OF WORKING KENYANS EARN LESS THAN SH10,000

The research says nearly half of Kenyans (49 per cent) earn less than Sh10,000 monthly with Jubilee supporters only slightly more affluent than Cord’s.

However, in the past five years 46 per cent of Kenyans think their economic conditions have improved with 33 per cent reporting the opposite. Again, more Jubilee supporters (44 per cent) said their lives had improved compared to 22 per cent of Cord's.

“Altogether, in partisan terms, clear if modest contrasts are evident in almost all measures of economic well-being, with Jubilee households better off,” Dr Tom Wolf, the research analyst at Ipsos, said.

He added that such a reality raises the question of Jubilee leaders using their positions to directly benefit those they identify with.

“Alternatively, it could be asked whether Cord supporters are subjected to more negative economic conditions by such factors as the lower productive capacity of their home areas, their weaker capacity to compete in the educational and commercial systems, and so on,” said Mr Wolf.

About 49 per cent those interviewed across the country mentioned employment as the main key to escaping destitution followed by agriculture.

Of the households who depend on agriculture as their main source of income, 51 per cent rely on maize as their main cash crop with a mixture of other vegetables and tea generating the next two greatest amounts of income, 22 and 10 per cent respectively.

(Editing by Joel Muinde)