Jubilee Party more popular in Eastern, Western than Wiper and Ford Kenya- survey

Infotrak CEO Angela Ambitho when releasing political party popularity on 11th March 2017. PHOTO:WILBERFORCE OKWIRI

President Uhuru Kenyatta's Jubilee Party is gaining popularity in areas that are considered opposition strongholds, results of new survey have shown.

According to a research conducted by Infotrak Research and Consulting, the party which President Kenyatta will use to seek re-election in the forthcoming August polls is stronger than Wiper Democratic Movement in Eastern region and Ford Kenya in Western Kenya.

The research conducted across eight regions in the country, whose findings were released on Saturday show that 15.8 per cent of Eastern Kenya residents are affiliated to Wiper as compared to Jubilee's 30.3 per cent.

Eastern is the home of former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka. The Wiper party boss in the last election swept majority of the elective seats, especially in the Ukambani region, that is in Lower Eastern.

At the same time the popularity of Jubilee party in Western Kenya, where Ford Kenya Party leader Moses Wetang'ula hails from stands at 11.3 per cent while the later enjoys support of 10.6 per cent.

The research findings may pose to be disheartening news to supporters of Amani National Congress (ANC) boss Musalia Mudavadi, as only 2 per cent of the members of the public in his Western backyard, affirmed their support for the political outfit.

Notably two newly formed parties; Chama cha Mashinani(CCM) and Maendeleo Chap Chap that are led by Governors Isaac Ruto(Bomet) and Alfred Mutua (Machakos), will seemingly give other old parties a run for their money.

CCM in the survey beat Mudavadi's ANC whose popularity in the country according to the survey is at 0.8 per cent, compared to the Governor Ruto party's 1 per cent. More respondents in North Eastern ( 2.8 per cent) support CCM compared to Rift Valley(2.5 per cent).

Dr Mutua's Maendeleo Chap Chap enjoys a 2.5 per cent rating in Eastern Kenya, and 0.4 per cent in the entire nation, coming ahead of established parties like Kanu (0.3 per cent), Narc Kenya (0.2 per cent) and PNU (0.2 per cent).