It also indicates that support for the power-sharing agreement between
President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga has plummeted by a
whopping 44 points from a high of 77 per cent in July last year to 33
per cent today.
According to the survey by Synovate (formerly Steadman Group), half the
respondents think new elections are the only solution to easing
tensions between the coalition partners Orange Democratic Movement
(ODM) and the Party of National Unity (PNU).
The next General Election is scheduled for 2012.
According to the poll, more than half of those who favour fresh
elections as a way out of the persistent quarrels among political
leaders would like to see them happen before 2012, while 35 per cent
would like the national accord between President Kikabi and Mr Odinga
renegotiated. Thirteen per cent favour the status quo.
The further we get away from the post-election violence, the less
Kenyans are worried about the disagreements in government which
manifest themselves as being just normal politics, Synovate's
political consultant Tom Wolf explained.
They see the disagreements as happening in a political box.
The report comes only two days after President Kibaki announced that he
would consult Mr Odinga on future major government appointments and
announcements.
This followed a meeting of the permanent cabinet committee on the
management of the coalition government on Thursday where the two
partners reportedly agreed to end the wrangles.
So sharp have been the differences that an earlier meeting of the
committee called two weeks ago in Kilaguni did not take place after the
two groups failed to agree on an agenda.
On Wednesday, Mr Odinga wrote to President Kibaki asking him to
postpone Thursday's Cabinet meeting until all pending matters had been
sorted out.
The two principals subsequently held a meeting at which it was agreed
that the committee on the management of the coalition would convene on
Thursday. The Thursday meeting appeared to have ended amicably, easing
tensions that had risen over a fortnight.
The poll was conducted between last Monday and Friday during which time
the two sides are believed to have worked out a solution to their
differences.
The telephone survey of 22,035 respondents indicates that a vast
majority of Kenyans are dissatisfied with the performance of the
government in key areas.
More than 90 per cent expressed disapproval over its lack of success in
fighting corruption, eradicating poverty and controlling spiralling
food prices.
More than 60 per cent of those polled said they were satisfied with the
government's performance in supplying of electricity, creating access
to primary and secondary education, health services and building a road
network.
In terms of individual leaders, Kenyans are more dissatisfied with the
performance of President Kibaki, than with that of the prime minister,
Mr Wolf said.
Forty-eight per cent of Kenyans are not happy with the President's
performance compared with 36 per cent who are dissatisfied with the
performance of Raila Odinga and 38 per cent who expressed
dissatisfaction with Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka.
But Mr Wolf warned that it was not clear whether any government's
performance would have gained higher approval if there were no
power-sharing deal and with the world facing a financial crisis.
Rating institutions, respondents gave Parliament the lowest score with
a massive 97 per cent of Kenyans saying they do not trust their MPs.
Mr Musyoka is the most trusted political figure with a 15 per cent
approval rating, while the PM and the President were given 11 per cent
and 9 per cent approval ratings, respectively.
The harsh verdict on Parliament comes just days before MPs are
scheduled to return for the Third Session of the Tenth Parliament.
They face a backlog of matters including the establishment of an
interim electoral body, a boundaries review commission, a truth,
justice and reconciliation commission and a special tribunal to try
suspects involved in last year's post-election violence.
Sunday Nation
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