Wajir North MP Ibrahim Saney says approval ratings survey not realistic

An MP and a professional association have disputed the findings of a survey on the perception of legislators’ performance, saying they are unreliable.

Mr Ibrahim Abdi Saney, the Wajir North first-time MP told the Nation Wednesday that the findings by Infotrak Research & Consulting were simply an “opinion” that does not show the reality on the ground.

“The figures are not true and are just about maligning my name by showing that I am a failure,” the MP told the Nation by phone from his constituency where he said he was “seeing” his people.

“My performance will be rated by my constituents and I won’t mind about an opinion by someone sitting in an office in Nairobi.

“The credibility of Infotrak is seriously questionable and the Daily Nation shouldn't be a conduit for unsubstantiated information.

"I want to exonerate my leadership from this unfounded opinion poll,” he said.

The MP who is the third legislator ever to represent Wajir North was ranked among the bottom five out of the 290 elected MPs.

He scored 43.5 per cent after researchers inquired about his performance from his constituents.

29,000 RESPONDENTS INTERVIEWED

In the Survey in which Emuhaya MP Wilberforce Ottichilo emerged the best, Infotrak said it interviewed 29,000 respondents countrywide, with at least 100 from each sub-county, between December 2014 and February 2015.

Wednesday, a group of professionals from the larger north eastern region said they could give their MPs higher ratings than those contained in the survey.

“If you did a little background check on our MPs, the figure could be different.

“We challenge the researchers to prove they actually reached this area and contacted the residents,” Abdi Hassan, the spokesman for the Ajuran professionals said.

The group is made up people mainly from Wajir.

It said in a statement that their MPs had done more to the people through water projects and electricity supply.

INFOTRAK RESPONSE

But in the study, Ms Angela Ambitho, the CEO of Infotrak said respondents were only asked about their general rating and not on specific questions about the MPs’ performance and projects.

“It is important to note that (the) index is limited to the perception of the respective sub-county residents.

“For instance, the CountyTrak MPs’ index for Emuhaya was determined only by the residents of Emuhaya Sub County/ Constituency,” she told the Nation.

Residents were asked a general question: “How would you rate the performance of your MP on a scale of 1-10 where 1 is extremely poor and 10 is excellent?”

Although the findings are based on perception, researchers admit it is the same level of thinking that could guide voters to elect their leader.

This means that if a resident thinks low of the performance of a legislator, it could affect their choice of such leaders were elections to be held today.

RESIDENTS' GENERAL PERCEPTION

“Residents were asked on the general perception. All we did was to ask them to weigh their elected leaders.

“But in the end, even with elections, we know that the residents could choose their leaders based on their perception of their (candidates’) ability to work,” Ms Ambitho added.

She invited MPs to contact Infotrak so that they could be taken through the process that was used in the survey.

Embakasi East MP John Ogutu Omondi had the lowest approval rating among his constituents with only 41.5 per cent saying he was doing a good job.

His counterpart from Githunguri Constituency in Kiambu County, Mr Njoroge Baiya, was second last, followed by Khwisero’s Benjamin Andanyi.

Zakayo Cheruiyot of Kuresoi and Ibraim Saney of Wajir North completed the bottom five.

Others who did not impress their constituents were Jaldesa Banticha of Isiolo South, Charles Geni of North Mugirango, Lari’s Mburu Kahangara, Mohamud Maalim of Mandera West and Abdulaziz Farah of Mandera East.

All had an approval rating of less than 45 per cent.