CONTACTS: +254 726879488 (Mobile)
+254770 455 116 (Office)
By Phyllis MUCHOKI
Kenya’s research firm GeoPoll new report analyzing the recent surge in youth protests across Kenya offers crucial insights into these protests’ motivations, profiles, and impacts, shedding light on the broader socio-political landscape.
The report draws on findings from the mobile survey, which targeted a nationally representative sample of 1049 young Kenyans. It explores the underlying factors fueling the youth unrest.
The findings reveal significant discontent with economic conditions, governance, and social issues, highlighting the urgent need for policy interventions.
High Participation in Protests
62% of respondents reported participating in the protests, with the highest involvement among the 25-34 age group. Most (89%) believed the protests reflected a general dissatisfaction with the government.
Widespread Dissatisfaction with Finance Bill
87% of respondents expressed dissatisfaction with the Finance Bill 2024 with 71% believing the bill would significantly increase their financial burden.
Primary Reasons for Protesting
High cost of living, corruption, unemployment (53% of the respondents are unemployed), poor governance, political distrust, and government extravagance were the most cited reasons for the continued protests, even after the Finance Bill’s withdrawal.
Expected Impact of the Protests
Most believe the protests will have a positive impact on public engagement going forward, government policy revisions, greater accountability, and economic adjustments. However, negative impacts, such as economic disruption, political instability, and harsh rebuttals from the government, are also expected.
Widespread dissatisfaction with the government
74% say the government doesn’t adequately address youth issues, with 65% saying the government doesn’t listen to their voices.
Issues that must be solved: Unemployment, public participation, better, more affordable education, and economic and anti-corruption measures stood out as the issues the youth need to be sorted out immediately.
High Expectations for Brands
Majority of the respondents (85%) think it is important or very important for brands to engage in social causes, with the majority (67%) valuing corporate transparency.
Media: Media coverage of the protests was lauded mostly as very good (47%). Television is the most trusted source of information (79%) on the protests with 50% and 38% looking to Twitter (X) and Tiktok respectively, where most of the mobilizing has been conducted. Most respondents (60%) say media coverage has significantly influenced their views on the protests and the Finance Bill.
Strong Voting Intentions
There’s likely to be implications of the heightened youth participation, with 84% expressing a strong intention to vote in upcoming elections. This will be an improvement from the last election where 22% said they didn’t vote even though they had attained voting age.
“We believe this report provides invaluable insights for policymakers, civil society organizations, companies, the media, and Kenya’s development partners working to address the challenges faced by Kenya’s youth,” said John Murunga, GeoPoll’s Regional Director.
“Understanding the drivers behind these protests in an independent, unbiased, scientific research approach is crucial for developing effective strategies to promote social cohesion and economic development.”
The report, fully commissioned and funded internally, is part of GeoPoll’s ongoing commitment to leveraging data to inform decision-making and drive positive change.
The survey was conducted using the GeoPoll Application on June 28th and 29th, 2024. The survey sample included 1,049 Kenyans aged 18-45, predominantly the youth (62% aged 18-24 and 27% aged 25-34).
Gender distribution was balanced, with 51% females and 49% males. Education levels were also representative, with 66% had college degrees, 14% had secondary education, and 12% had vocational training. Geographically, the sample was nationally representative across all 47 counties.
GeoPoll is a full-service research agency revolutionizing data collection across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. With a robust technology platform, GeoPoll conducts large-scale surveys via mobile phones, providing rapid, reliable data to clients in diverse sectors. GeoPoll’s largest global office is in Nairobi.