Kenyans are now more confident with President Uhuru Kenyatta than they were before, following his recent decision to honour the summons at the ICC, a new survey has revealed.
According to the opinion poll by Ipsos Kenya, which was released yesterday, Uhuru’s approval ratings have increased from 43% two months ago to 71%, with that of his deputy William Ruto rising as well to 62% up from 38%.
The majority of the 1,669 respondents sampled (87%) supported President Uhuru Kenyatta’s decision to attend the status conference, with 53% feeling that the government has completely cooperated with the ICC. Another 67% were of the opinion that the government should increase its cooperation with the ICC and that Kenya should remain a member of the Rome Statute/ICC countries even when the cases against Uhuru Kenyatta or William Ruto are over.
Ironically, most respondents (74%) were displeased by CORD’s call for its elected members to boycott the joint session of Parliament addressed by the President before leaving for the Hague/ICC, with Jubilee supporters leading 82% against CORD supporters (62%).
The approval ratings of the cabinet secretaries have also risen to 42% from 18 % as observed in the previous poll.
During the parliamentary address, President Uhuru Kenyatta announced that he was appointing Ruto as acting president so that he could travel to The Hague as a civilian and on Tuesday last week, Uhuru indeed left the country to honour his status conference before jetting back a day later to a grand welcome by Kenyans.
PESA MASHINANI GAINS SUPPORT
More Kenyans seems to be in favour of The Council of Governors push for a referendum dubbed, Pesa Mashinani, rather than CORD’S Okoa Kenya referendum.
53% of the respondents back the calls for Pesa Mashinani, compared to 38% in support of Okoa Kenya.
A total of 29% of the respondents said they felt closer to the Jubilee Coalition compared to 13 % who felt closer to CORD.
The poll was conducted between 11th and 13th October 2014.