TIFA: UDA six times popular than Jubilee in Murang’a

Deputy President William Ruto’s party of choice UDA continues to gain popularity in President Kenyatta’s Mt. Kenya backyard, a survey by TIFA research shows.

According to the survey released Thursday, UDA popularity in Murang’a stood at 69pc, six times more than that of the ruling Jubilee Party which is at 11pc. 

TIFA said that given this margin, whoever wins the UDA nomination for the various elective posts in Murang’a County will have a major advantage when voters go to the polls on August 9^th.

On the preferred presidential candidate, TIFA said the popularity strength of UDA in Murang’a was mirrored in that of William Ruto regarding the forthcoming presidential contest.

“Whether Raila Odinga can close any/much of the gap between them in the remaining five months will be a major challenge, given the vote-rich Mt. Kenya region of which Murang’a is part,” said TIFA.

In the data collected in Murang’a County, 71pc supported DP Ruto’s presidential candidature and the ODM leader 16pc.

Raila’s ODM party was third with 6 pc followed by Mwangi wa Iria’s party Usawa kwa Wote and ANC party 1 pc respectively.

In the Gubernatorial race, the poll indicated that Senator Irungu Kang’ata is nearly twice as popular in the contest for governor as his nearest aspirant rival, former MP Jamleck Kamau.

In Busia, respondents preferred Raila Odinga as the next president, with his nearest rival, William Ruto, attracting less than one-sixth of his support (12pc).

“Such popularity reflects that of Odinga’s political party and coalition ODM and Azimio la Umoja,” TIFA said.

The TIFA poll showed that ODM party is most popular in Busia at 46pc, DAP-K 10pc and UDA 7pc.

“ODM as a party and its associated Azimio la Umoja constitute the most popular political formations by far, equal to about two-thirds of all respondents (65%),” TIFA Research added.

The TIFA Research sampled a total of 1,541 respondents from Nairobi, Murang’a and Busia Counties from 3rd to 9th February 2022.