Trust in Kenya is increasingly divided by income and social differences, with higher-income citizens expressing greater confidence in institutions while many Kenyans remain reluctant to trust people outside their social circles.
The 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer found that the trust index among higher-income Kenyans stood at 73, compared with 66 among lower-income groups, a seven-point gap.
The report also found that 66 per cent of Kenyans were hesitant or unwilling to trust people who were different from them.
The findings point to a trust divide that extends beyond confidence in government, business, media and civil society to how Kenyans experience institutions and relate to one another.
The gap raises questions about whether people from different economic backgrounds receive the same treatment from institutions such as hospitals, courts, schools and financial services.
For wealthier citizens, access to private healthcare, legal representation, education, financial services and information can make it easier to navigate institutions when public services fall short.
For lower-income citizens, the same institutions can be harder to access and may produce different experiences.
Afrobarometer's April-May 2024 Kenya survey found that 70 per cent of Kenyans trusted religious leaders either somewhat or a lot, while 67 per cent expressed similar confidence in the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).
Trust was lower for Parliament at 44 per cent, the police at 36 per cent and the electoral commission at 36 per cent.
The courts present another divide between confidence in an institution and people's ability to use it.
Afrobarometer research published in 2026 found that 55 per cent of Kenyans believed ordinary citizens could obtain justice through the courts.
However, only 47 per cent believed they could afford to take a legal problem to court and 41 per cent believed they were likely to receive a timely resolution.
The findings suggest that people can support the role of an institution while doubting whether it will work for them in practice.
The trust problem also extends beyond institutions.
Edelman's finding that 66 per cent of Kenyans are hesitant or unwilling to trust people who are different from them points to growing caution towards people outside familiar social, economic and political circles.
That trend could make it harder for communities to cooperate across differences in a country marked by varied economic circumstances, political views and social backgrounds.
The media faces a similar challenge.
Afrobarometer found that 77 per cent of Kenyans believe journalists should continuously investigate and report on government mistakes and corruption, while 72 per cent support media freedom.
However, confidence in the information environment remains under pressure.
The 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer found that 56 per cent of Kenyans believed it was becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish credible journalism from misinformation.
Another 60 per cent believed news organisations were more interested in attracting large audiences than providing important information, while 54 per cent believed news organisations prioritised supporting an ideology over informing the public.
The figures create a difficult environment for journalism. Kenyans continue to expect the media to scrutinise those in power while facing growing uncertainty over which sources and information they can trust.
A smartphone user can encounter television reports, political posts, social media creators, activists, anonymous accounts and messages from family and friends within minutes.
As information sources multiply, trust is no longer concentrated in traditional institutions.
The challenge now extends to how governments, businesses, media organisations and civil society establish credibility among groups that may have very different experiences of the same institutions.
Communication alone may not close the gap.
Institutions need to show they deliver what they promise, explain decisions, acknowledge mistakes, and apply rules fairly, especially when citizens experience services differently because of their economic circumstances.
Kenya's trust challenge also reflects a wider African trend.
Across 39 African countries surveyed by Afrobarometer, only three of 11 institutions and categories of leaders commanded majority trust on average: religious leaders, the military and traditional leaders.
Average trust remained below 50 per cent for presidents, police, courts and parliaments.
The changing information environment adds another layer to the challenge as younger and more connected populations encounter political, commercial and social information from an expanding range of sources.
Artificial intelligence is also making it easier to create and distribute convincing false information.
The question for institutions is therefore no longer only who trusts them.
It is also whether citizens believe they receive fair treatment and whether they trust people outside their immediate social circles.
These issues will form part of discussions at The Trust Summit 2026, scheduled for Nairobi from October 21-23 under the theme 'Weaving Trust: Binding Strands for a Stronger Global Order.'