• Poll conducted by Infotrak and Integrated Development Network.
• Shows 65 per cent of Kenyans support the clamour for a referendum.
Image: EZEKIEL AMING'A
President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto’s political bastions are opposed to the creation of an executive Prime Minister, a new poll suggests.
The poll by Infotrak and Integrated Development Network, shows, however, that 65 per cent of Kenyans support the clamour for a referendum, in what is likely to leave Ruto in a tight spot.
The DP has opposed calls to amend the Constitution and the proposed referendum has turned into a battlefront between him and Opposition chief Raila Odinga.
The poll released yesterday indicates that Central Kenya, Uhuru’s political bedrock, tops the list of old defunct provinces where residents are opposed to the expansion of the executive.
The statistics indicate that only 26 per cent of the population in the four Central Kenya counties supports the creation of an executive PM.
This is followed by Ruto’s Rift Valley backyard and Western, with only 31 per cent and 32 per cent of the residents supporting the creation of the PM post, respectively.
Overall, the poll shows that the support for the creation of an executive PM stands at 41 per cent across the country.
“A majority of Kenyans (72 per cent), across the eight regions, prefer the presidential system of government and would like to elect their President directly,” the pollsters said.
The poll was conducted from February 9 to 11; 800 respondents were surveyed in 15 counties. It had a +/- 3.0% margin of error, with a 95 per cent confidence level.
Raila has been the chief proponent of the expansion of the executive and the results of the new poll are likely to live him pondering his strategy.
Raila’s ODM has also proposed a single presidential term of seven years to the Building Bridges Initiative.
However, the poll suggests that the call remains unpopular, with only 40 per cent of Kenyans supporting the move.
President Kenyatta has remained silent on the plebiscite push but at one time gave a hint that he would support a law change to create “an all-inclusive government”.
“We said we must look at this issue of winner takes all. If that is why some people feel left out of government, we must ask ourselves, 'Is it a good thing or not',” Uhuru said during his first tour of Raila's Nyanza backyard on December 13 last year.
The poll, however, shows that 57 per cent of Kenyans support the creation of the office of the official Opposition leader in the National Assembly for the runners up in the Presidential election.
A similar office would be created in the Senate for the running mate.
Ironically, the poll indicates that Northeastern, which overwhelmingly voted for Jubilee in the last election, has the biggest support at 62 per cent for the creation of the PM post.
This is followed by Nyanza at 61 per cent.
The other regions are Eastern (42 per cent), Nairobi (48 per cent) and Coast (47 per cent)
But the poll indicates that a majority of resident in all the former eight provinces supports calls to amend the 2010 Constitution.
Nyanza leads at 78 per cent followed by Northeastern at 72 per cent.
Coast comes third at 70 per cent followed by Rift Valley and Nairobi at 65 per cent and 63 per cent, respectively.
Western, Eastern and Central polled the least at 62 per cent, 59 per cent and 55 per cent, respectively.
According to the statistics, a majority of Kenyans at 52 per cent said they want the Constitution amended because there is “need to change some aspects of the Constitution that are ambiguous”.
However, 38 per cent of Kenyans want the plebiscite to reduce the number of representatives to reduce the ballooning wage bill
“As such, a majority of Kenyans supported the suggested amendments to the Constitution to scrap some elective positions such as women representatives and senators.
"Similarly, a majority of Kenyans support the suggested amendments to the Constitution to reduce the number of counties, constituencies and wards,” Infotrak research manager Walter Nyabundi said.
Ten per cent of Kenyans said they support a referendum because of the need to create more executive positions.
In a clear demonstration of the disaffection Kenyans have with some elective roles, the poll shows that 62 per cent of those surveyed want the constitution amended to scrap the positions of women representative.
Another 59 per cent want the Senate abolished.
The poll also indicates that 51 per cent of Kenyans wants the number of counties reduced with another 50 per cent pushing for the reduction of the number of constituencies and wards.
However, the poll shows that a majority of Kenyans at 67 per cent wants the allocation to counties increased from the current 15 per cent to 45 per cent.
The proposal to pick lawmakers as Cabinet Secretaries also appears to be gaining traction.
The poll indicates that 48 per cent of Kenyans support the move.