IPSOS: Kenyans hope to save more money, acquire homes in New Year

Israel's (right) and other flags fly high at Kasarani Stadium, Nairobi during the swearing-in of Uhuru Kenyatta as the President of Republic of Kenya for the second term. [Elvis Ogina.Standard]

Most Kenyans hope to save more money, acquire homes and get jobs in the new year, according to a new report.

The survey by Ipsos also shows a majority of Kenyans are concerned by the high cost of living, hunger and drought.

The findings released on Sunday show at least 17 per cent of Kenyans are determined to save more this year.

At least another 16 per cent look forward to building or buying homes. The biggest dream of another 15 per cent is to get a job.

Marriage and buying a car are not priorities to most Kenyans surveyed, with only two per cent looking forward to getting life partners and a similar percentage planning to buy cars. 

Other things Kenyans are hoping to achieve in 2018 are expanding their businesses (13 per cent), furthering education (12) and educating their families (six per cent).

While furthering education and saving more money are top on the agenda of those employed, the unemployed just look forward to landing a job.

Casual labourers lead the pack of those who want to build their own homes at 22 per cent while the self-employed want to start and expand their businesses (16 per cent).

According to the survey, such personal aspirations, mainly of material or economic nature, were also reflected in the “most serious problems” identified at the local level. These included the high cost of living, hunger and drought as well as unemployment.

Striking findings

"The most striking findings were the high figures for hunger and drought in Eastern and the rich-poor gap in Nyanza, which also applies to Nairobi," the report said.

“On the other hand, contrasts across the political divide (Jubilee against NASA) are minimal, suggesting the problems plaguing Kenyans are generally across-the-board,” the survey further notes.