Uhuru Kenyatta leads Raila Odinga with 5 points in new poll

Five percentage points separate the two top presidential candidates on popularity in the race to State House, the latest opinion poll by Infotrak shows.

President Uhuru Kenyatta of the Jubilee Party leads by 48 per cent as his rival Raila Odinga, the presidential flag-bearer for the National Super Alliance (Nasa), has a popularity score of 43 per cent.

Tunza Coalition’s Abduba Dida is in third, with a 0.5 per cent score, while Ekuru Aukot, Cyrus Jirongo and Joe Nyagah follow with a 0.1 per cent score each.

The results are from a survey conducted from a sample of 2,000 Kenyans in 29 constituencies countrywide on June 24 and 25.

Infotrak categorised the respondents into eight regions and its findings are that if elections were held last weekend, Mr Kenyatta and Mr Odinga would emerge victors in four regions each.

WRONG DIRECTION

The regions where Mr Kenyatta was ahead are North Eastern, Eastern, Central and Rift Valley, while Mr Odinga leads in the Coast, Western, Nyanza and Nairobi.

The survey also found that half of Kenyans, 50 per cent to be precise, believe the country is headed in the wrong direction. Forty-five per cent think Kenya is headed in the right direction while four per cent don’t know.

The data was collected through household computer-assisted personal interviews and it had a 2.2 margin of error.

“A sample of 2000 respondents was interviewed to represent the Kenyan voting population of about 19.6 million as per the 2017 IEBC voter register, translating into a margin of error of 2.2 at 95 per cent degree of confidence,” the research firm said.

TIGHT RACE

Last month a poll released by Infotrak and Ipsos indicated a tight race between Mr Kenyatta and Mr Odinga.

The poll showed that 47 per cent of Kenyans would vote for the Uhuru-Ruto duo while 42 per cent would vote for the Raila-Kalonzo team.

In comparison with another survey released by Ipsos in January, Mr Odinga gained ground from 30 per cent to 42 now while the Jubilee pair have maintained their rating.

The two leading candidates have since stepped up their efforts in getting more numbers on their side through countrywide rallies.

Both President Kenyatta and Mr Odinga have employed different tactics, seeking to raid one another’s perceived strongholds in a bid to get extra votes in their basket apart from those expected from areas where they are most popular.

Mr Odinga, for instance, has been making forays in Bomet, Meru and Tharaka Nithi counties, areas perceived to be Jubilee strongholds.

The penetration of Bomet by the opposition is attributed to Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto’s crossing over to Nasa, where he is a principal.

The three counties overwhelmingly voted for President Kenyatta almost to the last man in the 2013 general election.

President Kenyatta and his Jubilee brigade have also raided perceived Nasa strongholds such as Kisii and Nyamira counties. President Kenyatta has also been making countless trips to the coast and eastern regions.