A majority of Kenyan voters will vote according to tribes on August 8, a mobile conversations survey has shown.
57% of the respondents in a poll conducted by M Survey revealed that the tribe of the candidate would be the top factor they would consider while voting. M Survey is a tech start-up that focuses on how feedback is collected through mobile conversations.
"More than half of the people we had a conversation with (57 per cent) confessed that the tribe of a candidate had some influence on how they vote.
"It’s clear that the main reason why Kenyans vote along ethnic lines is the fear of marginalisation, with people citing employment and development as some of the key factors at stake," a report on the survey read in part.
According to the survey, the top factor most likely to influence voter behaviour in the 2017 General Election is the policies promulgated by both the candidate and the party they are affiliated to.
"Party’s manifesto/policy statement is likely to influence 61% of Kenyans voting decisions and 85% of the voters were confident that the candidates they were electing would improve their standards of living," the report read.
The survey also showed that factors least likely to influence who the voters will elect are who is capable of formulating good policies, which had a 44% rating and the candidate’s reputation and track record, which was rated at 27%.
The study also showed that 92% of voters knew all six elective posts and understood the roles of each elected leaders.
A majority of the voters, at 52%, believe that the President’s role will have the most impact on their lives, compared to 1% who think the same of a Senator.
