Support for Broad-Based Government Doubles in Six Months, TIFA Survey Shows
The survey tracked public opinion on the political arrangement between President William Ruto and allies of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, revealing a notable shift in attitudes toward the once-controversial coalition
By : Mweru Mbugua
Support for Kenya’s broad-based government has doubled within six months, rising from 22 per cent in May to 44 per cent in November, according to a new survey by research firm TIFA
The survey tracked public opinion on the political arrangement between President William Ruto and allies of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, revealing a notable shift in attitudes toward the once-controversial coalition
At the same time, opposition to the arrangement has declined significantly, dropping from a peak of 64 per cent in August to 48 per cent in November the lowest level recorded across the three surveys conducted by TIFA
The August resistance was largely attributed to public anger following the violent suppression of protests in June and July, which remained fresh in the public mind at the time
The broad-based government took shape last year after President Ruto launched an Africa-wide campaign backing Raila Odinga’s bid for the African Union Commission chairmanship
The move was followed by the announcement of a political partnership that effectively weakened ODM’s role as the official parliamentary opposition
After Odinga’s defeat in the AU race in February, President Ruto appointed several senior ODM leaders to Cabinet positions
Other Odinga allies were later named as permanent secretaries, ambassadors, and members of parastatal boards, further cementing the partnership.
The alliance was also reinforced through multiple presidential visits to the Nyanza region, where President Ruto commissioned development projects and engaged in joint activities with ODM leaders
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The TIFA survey was conducted just weeks before Raila Odinga’s death on October 15 while receiving medical treatment in India
Even before his passing, unease had been growing among core ODM supporters over the party’s strategy ahead of the next general election, now less than two years away
Odinga’s death has since intensified internal disagreements within ODM and the wider Odinga family, particularly over succession and the 2027 presidential race.
According to TIFA Research, respondents’ views on the broad-based government were analysed alongside other survey questions to assess the level of national division on the issue
The findings suggest that as the political arrangement has matured and the initial shock faded, more Kenyans have come to accept or at least warm to the broad-based government, even as opposition remains substantial at nearly half of the population
