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With political campaigns for the 2027 General Election beginning to take shape, Kenya's top-rated Members of Parliament are portraying a new Infotrak survey as proof that voters reward service delivery, accessibility and accountability over political affiliation.
The latest Infotrak Elected Leaders Performance Rating ranked Embakasi East MP Babu Owino as the country's best-performing legislator with an 80 per cent approval rating, followed by Kabuchai MP Majimbo Kalasinga at 78 per cent. Taveta MP John Bwire and Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro tied for third place with 76 per cent.
The survey, conducted between January and May 2026 among 87,286 respondents across all 47 counties, assessed elected leaders based on citizens' perceptions of accessibility, responsiveness, accountability and fulfilment of campaign promises.
Receiving the top award, Owino said leadership should be measured by service rather than power.
"Leadership is not about position, titles or power. Leadership is about service delivery, courage, vision and responsibility," he said.
"I always ask myself what I can give to the people, not what I can gain. The true measurement of leadership is not the number of people who serve you, but the number of people whose lives you transform,” he added.
The Embakasi East MP said the rankings demonstrated that performance, not political alignment, determines public approval.
"When you see Mukunji and myself among the top leaders yet we are not in government, it tells you clearly it is not about being in government. It is about vision, accessibility and organisation,” Babu said.
For Kalasinga, who climbed from third place in the previous rankings to second nationally, the award reflected years of consistent engagement with constituents.
"This prize has been a total struggle. It has been a struggle between doing what the people of Kabuchai want, speaking for them in Parliament and ensuring public resources reach the people," he said.
The Ford Kenya legislator attributed his performance to frequent grassroots engagement and transparency in managing the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF).
"Politics is about association. You must constantly be with the people. If you miss one weekend, the next one you must be on the ground,” he said.
Kalasinga also defended his opposition to Finance Bills containing provisions he believes burden ordinary Kenyans.
"You cannot tell Kenyans there is only one drop of poison in a bowl of soup and expect them to eat it. When I see such provisions, I vote No."
Rejecting claims that MPs must be aligned with the government to perform, he argued that every constituency receives equal NG-CDF allocations under the Constitution.
"What matters is how you manage those resources and how you serve your people,” Majimbo said.
Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa, who also ranked among the country's top-performing legislators with a 73 per cent approval rating, interpreted the survey as an endorsement of his leadership and his bid for the Bungoma governorship.
"The confidence the people of Kimilili have in me reflects my hard work, resilience and unwavering commitment to their needs," Barasa said.
In remarks laden with campaign symbolism, he declared, “The vehicle has switched on its indicator lights and shifted gears to the next level. Our destination is Bungoma County Headquarters."
Manyatta MP Gitonga Mukunji, who also featured among the country's top-rated legislators, described the survey as one of the most credible assessments of elected leaders, saying most MPs were unaware it was being conducted until they were invited to the awards ceremony.
Infotrak said the survey measured citizens' lived experiences with their leaders rather than parliamentary attendance or legislative output. According to the research firm, fulfilment of campaign promises remains the biggest factor influencing public ratings, followed by transparency, visible development projects and accessibility.
As political parties position themselves for the 2027 elections, the rankings provide an early indication that Kenyan voters are increasingly rewarding leaders they consider visible, accessible and responsive, regardless of whether they sit on the government or opposition benches.
