In the first release of Afrobarometer findings in Kenya, their citizens speak on the performance of the county governments and terrorism.

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Kenyans register mixed feelings about
devolution and KDF’s withdrawal from
Somalia
Findings from Afrobarometer Round 6 survey in Kenya

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At a glance
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• County governments: Kenyans are divided in their assessment of
county government leadership and want more involvement in key
county affairs.
• Fight against terror: Most Kenyans support the Kenya Defence
Forces’ involvement in Somalia and the Nyumba Kumi initiative as
good security measures against terrorism in the country.
• The International Criminal Court (ICC): Most Kenyans do not
support the country’s withdrawal from the ICC because it is
impartial and plays an important role in the fight against impunity.

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What is Afrobarometer?
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• An African-led, non-partisan survey research project that
measures citizen attitudes on democracy and governance, the
economy, civil society, and other topics.
• Started in 12 countries in 1999; expanded to 35 African countries in
Round 5 (2011-2013); round 6 surveys ongoing (2014 -2015)
• Goal: To give the public a voice in policymaking by providing
high-quality public opinion data to policymakers, policy
advocates, civil society organizations, academics, news media,
donors and investors, and ordinary Africans.
• A national partner in each country conducts the survey. In Kenya,
Afrobarometer Round 6 survey was conducted by the University of
Nairobi’s Institute for Development Studies (IDS).

4. Where Afrobarometer works

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Methodology
• Nationally representative sample of adult citizens
 All respondents are randomly selected.
 Sample is distributed across all 47 counties and along
urban/rural divide in proportion to their share in the national
adult population.
 Every adult citizen thus has known and equal chance of being
selected/included in the survey.
• Face-to-face interviews in language of respondent’s choice.
• Standard questionnaire which allows comparisons across
countries and over time.
• Sample size in Kenya of 2,397 adult citizens yields a margin of error
of +/-2% at a 95% confidence level.
• Fieldwork for Round 6 survey in Kenya was conducted between
12th November and 5th December 2014.
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Survey demographics
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Gender %
Male 50
Female 50
Location
Urban 36
Rural 64
Education
No formal education 8
Primary 36
Secondary 36
Post-secondary 20
Age %
18-25 22
26-35 36
36-45 21
46-55 11
56-65 7
Over 65 3
Religion
Christians 86
Muslims 9
Other 4

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Results

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Mixed score for devolution
and call for improved participation

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Key findings
■ A majority of Kenyans have confidence in their county
leadership and approve of their performance.
■ Trust ratings are higher in rural than urban areas.
■ More Kenyans trust their governors than their county
assemblies.
■ More than half of Kenyans support a referendum to
change constitutional provisions for revenue sharing
between county and national governments.
■ About eight in 10 Kenyans find it difficult to participate
in key county activities and to access information on
county budgets, legislation, and project plans.
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10. Trust in county leadership
Respondents were asked: How much do you trust each of the following, or haven’t you heard
enough about them to say: County assembly? County governor?
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11. Performance of county leadership
Respondents were asked: Do you approve or disapprove of the way that the following
people have performed their jobs over the past 12 months, or haven’t you heard enough
about them to say: Members of the county assembly? County governor?
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12. Corruption in the county leadership
Respondents were asked: How many of the following people do you think are involved in
corruption, or haven’t you heard enough about them to say?
12
58
61
37
33
5
6
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Members of your county
assembly
Your county governor and
officials in his office
None / Some of them Most / All of them Don't know

13. County service delivery
Respondents were asked: How well or badly would you say your county government is
handling the following matters, or haven’t you heard enough about them to say? (%)
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55
51
43
43
46
54
0 20 40 60 80 100
Maintaining roads
Maintaining local markets
Provision of basic health services
Fairly badly / Very badly Fairly well / Very well Don't know

14. Disbursement of funds to counties inadequate
Respondents were asked: Please tell me whether you disagree or agree, or haven’t you
heard enough to say: The national government has not been disbursing adequate
funds to county governments as required by the new constitution?
Urban Rural Male Female Total
Disagree / Strongly
disagree
36% 32% 36% 31% 34%
Agree / Strongly
agree
46% 48% 50% 44% 47%
Neither agree nor
disagree
6% 5% 5% 5% 5%
Don't know 13% 15% 9% 19% 14%
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15. Divided about county government’s ability to
raise own resources
Respondents were asked: Please tell me whether you disagree or agree, or haven’t you
heard enough to say: County governments can raise enough extra resources through their
own taxes to meet each county’s needs?
41% 42%
10%
7%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
Disagree /
Strongly disagree
Agree / Strongly
agree
Neither agree nor
disagree
Don't know
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16. Support for addressing revenue sharing
through constitutional amendment
Respondents were asked: Please tell me whether you disagree or agree, or haven’t you
heard enough to say: The constitution should be amended to strengthen the provisions for
sharing revenue and resolving disputes between county and national governments?
23%
61%
7% 8%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Disagree / Strongly
disagree
Agree / Strongly
agree
Neither agree nor
disagree
Don't know
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17. Support for referendum on revenue sharing
Respondents were asked: Do you support the call to hold a public referendum about
changing the provisions for revenue sharing between county and national governments?
2%
7%
39%
51%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Refused to answer
Does not know
No
Yes
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18. Poor contact with the county leadership
Respondents were asked: Please tell me whether you, personally, have done any of these
things during the past year: Attended a county government meeting? If not, would you do
this if you had the chance?
1
1
4
9
12
73
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
Yes, often
Don't know
Yes, several times
Yes, once or twice
No, would never do this
No, but would do if had the chance
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19. Poor contact with the county leadership
Respondents were asked: Please tell me whether you, personally, have done any of these
things during the past year: Attended a county government meeting? If not, would you do
this if you had the chance?
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Urban Rural Male Female Total
No, would never do this 13 11 8 15 12
No, but would do if had
the chance
72 73 72 73 73
Yes, once or twice 8 9 11 7 9
Yes, several times 5 4 6 3 4
Yes, often 1 2 2 1 1
Don't know 1 1 1 1

20. Most Kenyans not participating in county affairs
Respondents were asked: Thinking about public participation as enshrined in the new
constitution, how easy or difficult would you say it is: To participate in county budgeting and
planning? To influence county decision making? To access information on county budgets,
legislation, and project plans?
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9% 8% 11%
80% 81% 78%
11% 11% 11%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Participation in county
budgeting and planning
Influence in county
decision making
Access to information on
county budgets, legislation
and project plans
easy / very easy difficult / very difficult Don't know

21. Dissatisfaction with participation in county activities
Respondents were asked: Overall, how satisfied are you with the extent of public
participation in the operations of your county government?
9%
58%
26%
8%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
There is no public
participation
Not at all satisfied /
Not very satisfied
Fairly / Very satisfied Don't know / Haven't
heard enough to say
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Fight against terrorism and insecurity

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Key findings
■ Two-thirds (66%) of Kenyans say the involvement of the
Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) in Somalia has been necessary
despite terrorist problems resulting from it.
■ But citizens are divided as to whether the KDF should pull
out of Somalia. Support for continued stay is less strong
among women and among citizens aged 50 and older.
■ Kenyans are similarly divided on the question of whether the
KDF should be deployed for internal security matters or
limited to external aggressions.
■ A majority of Kenyans support the Nyumba Kumi initiative.
■ Six in 10 Kenyans say the International Criminal Court is an
important safeguard against impunity.
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24. KDF involvement in Somalia
Respondents were asked: Please tell me if you agree or disagree: The involvement of
Kenya Defense Forces or KDF in Somalia has been necessary despite the terrorist
problems resulting from it.
26%
66%
3% 4%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Disagree / Strongly
disagree
Agree / Strongly
agree
Neither agree nor
disagree
Don't know
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25. Mixed reactions to calls for KDF withdrawal from
Somalia
Respondents were asked: Please tell me if you agree or disagree: The KDF should pull
out of Somalia?
KDF should not
pull out
KDF should pull
out
Neither agree
nor disagree
Don’t know
Total 43% 48% 5% 4%
18 - 35 years 44% 48% 4% 4%
36 - 50 years 45% 46% 7% 2%
Above 50 years 35% 49% 7% 8%
Male 47% 46% 5% 2%
Female 39% 50% 5% 6%
Urban 46% 46% 4% 3%
Rural 41% 48% 6% 4%
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26. Strong support for the Nyumba Kumi initiative
Respondents were asked: Please tell me if you agree or disagree: “Nyumba Kumi” is a
good security initiative that should be supported.
11%
7% 9%
78%
83% 82%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
Urban Rural Total
Disagree / Strongly disagree Agree / Strongly agree
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27. Internal vs. external KDF deployment
Respondents were asked: Which of the following statements is closest to your view?
Statement 1: The Kenya Defence Forces or KDF should be deployed to handle internal security matters
just like the police.
Statement 2: The KDF should only be used for matters involving external aggressions.
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44%
51% 49%51%
43%
46%
%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Urban Rural Total
Agree / agree very strongly with Internal deployment of KDF
Agree/agree very strongly with limiting KDF to external aggressions

28. Support for the International Criminal Court
Respondents were asked: For each of the following statements, please tell me whether you
disagree or agree.
55%
7%
28%
33%
86%
61%
5%
3%
5%
6%
4%
6%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Parliament should pass legislation to
withdraw Kenya from the ICC
President Uhuru Kenyatta made right
decision to honor ICC summons
Prosecution of Kenyan leaders by the ICC is
an important effort in fighting impunity
Disagree / Strongly disagree Agree / Strongly agree
Neither agree nor disagree Don't know / Haven't heard enough to say
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29. Perceived impartiality of the ICC
Respondents were asked: Which of the following statements is closest to your view?
Statement 1: The ICC is an impartial international institution for justice.
Statement 2: The ICC is biased against Kenya and other African countries.
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2%
7%
35%
55%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Agree with neither
Don’t know
Agree / agree very strongly that
the ICC is biased against african
countries
Agree / agree very strongly that
the ICC is impartial

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Conclusions

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Conclusion
• There is minimal participation in county decision-
making and budget processes.
Citizens demand more resources.
They score handling of services poorly.
73% say they would contact county
government if they had a chance.
• Overwhelming support for Nyumba Kumi initiative
calls for robust strategies against insecurity.
• The ICC remains relevant in fighting impunity.
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Thank you
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