Coast tops in people sleeping hungry

Kenya: A survey by Ipsos shows Coast has more people sleeping hungry, while Central has majority of people whose economic conditions have improved in the last three months.

The general economic conditions of most Kenyans has been worsening since June 2013, according to the Ipsos report of a household face-to-face survey carried out between November 6 and 14, 2014 on 2,005 respondents, with 49 per cent of the respondents feeling their condition is worsening.

In the same period, 16 per cent of Kenyans felt their economic condition is improving, with the number increasing to 26 per cent in November 2014.

The economic status stayed the same for 34 per cent of Kenyans in June 2013, and 31 per cent in November 2014.

Regionally, the household economic condition worsened in the last three months with the Coast being the most hit, at 57 per cent.

Western follows at 53 per cent, Nairobi at 48 per cent and Eastern at 46 per cent.

In the same period, 48 per cent of respondents in Central feel their household economic condition has improved.

Rift Valley has also seen improved conditions in the same period, with 27 per cent nodding yes. In North Eastern, which has been dogged by terrorist attacks, 47 per cent of respondents say their household economic conditions remained constant.

In all the provinces though, respondents answered differently, some saying they have seen improvements, others, their conditions have worsened while to some, things stayed the same.

The pollster asked respondents if anyone ever went to sleep hungry and 30 per cent of the respondents answered yes, with the majority, 55 per cent being from the Coast followed by Eastern and Western at 38 per cent. Central has the least number of people going hungry.

Most respondents think poor leadership, poor infrastructure, the gap between the rich and poor, corruption and unemployment is not a major problem in Kenya.