- Raila still emerged top among influencers scoring 59 per cent followed by President Uhuru Kenyatta at 54 per cent
- Since the 2007 General Elections, the Coastal region has overwhelmingly voted for Raila in the presidential race.
Image: RAILA ODINGA/TWITTER
Azimio La Umoja flagbearer Raila Odinga is the leading presidential candidate in Mombasa, a survey shows.
The study by Infotrak Research and Consulting showed that 52 per cent of respondents said they would vote for Raila if the elections were held between March 19-22, 2022.
Deputy President William Ruto of the Kenya Kwanza Alliance came second with 29 per cent.
However, this would be a decline in Raila's ratings in the Coastal City considering previous presidential elections.
In 2013, Raila garnered 69.77 per cent of votes in Mombasa against President Uhuru Kenyatta's 23.7 per cent.
The Infotrak poll released on Sunday further shows that Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka would only get one per cent of the votes.
Musalia Mudavadi (ANC), Jimmy Wanjigi (Safina) and Gideon Moi (Kanu) all managed a paltry 0.1 per cent.
“A significant percentage of voters- 16 per cent- indicated that they were yet to make up their mind on whom they will support for the top seat,” Infotrak Research Manager Johvine Wanyingo said.
Mombasa and the coast in general has been Raila's stronghold over the years and the latest opinion poll was an indicator that the ODM leader is still the man to beat in the area.
Raila's allies among them Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho have been instrumental in ensuring the former Prime Minister maintains massive support.
Mombasa has over 580, 000 registered voters: Changamwe (86,331), Jomvu (69,307), Kisauni (126,151), Nyali (104,017), Likoni (87,326) and Mvita (107,091).
The new poll shows that Raila is most popular in Jomvu constituency where 54 per cent of the respondents said they would vote for him followed by Kisauni (54 per cent), Likoni (53 per cent), Changamwe (51 per cent) and Mvita (49 per cent).
Ruto was most popular in Nyali where 35 per cent of voters said they would vote for him followed by Mvita (33 per cent), Changamwe (30 per cent), Likoni (29 per cent), Jomvu (26 per cent) and Kisauni (23 per cent).
“Raila's ODM party was also the most popular in the county scoring 46 per cent compared to Ruto's UDA which had an approval rating of 24 per cent,” Wanyingo said.
Azimio, which has endorsed Raila for the presidency, got an approval rating of 51 per cent while Kenya Kwanza scored 23 per cent.
The One Kenya Alliance scored an approval rating of three per cent.
Raila still emerged top among influencers in Mombasa scoring 59 per cent followed by President Uhuru Kenyatta (54 per cent), Joho (53 per cent), Ruto (48 per cent), the business community (42 per cent), Kaya Elders (39 per cent) and Kalonzo (32 per cent).
The survey was sponsored by Haki Africa, an organisation based in Mombasa working to improve livelihoods and enhance the progressive realisation of human rights in Kenya.
Interviews were conducted through Computer Assisted Telephone Interviews and the members of the public targeted were 18 years and above at the time of the poll and were registered voters.
The survey had a sample size of 2400 respondents with a margin error of plus/minus 2 per cent.
The poll covered six constituencies and 30 wards of the county.
Three hundred and fifty seven of those polled were from Changamwe, Jomvu (287), Kisauni (522), Nyali (430), Likoni (361) and Mvita (433).
(Edited by Tabnacha O)