August 14, 2007

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Kenya's current president is the top choice for voters in the African country, according to a poll by Infotrak Research and Consulting and Harris Interactive Global. 42 per cent of respondents would vote for Mwai Kibaki of the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC) in the next presidential election.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Kenya's current president is the top choice for voters in the African country, according to a poll by Infotrak Research and Consulting and Harris Interactive Global. 42 per cent of respondents would vote for Mwai Kibaki of the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC) in the next presidential election.

Former roads and public works minister Raila Odinga is second with 26 per cent, followed by former environment minister Kalonzo Musyoka of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) with 11 per cent, prospective Orange Democratic Movement (ODM-Kenya) candidate Musalia Mudavadi with eight per cent, and William Ruto, secretary-general of the Kenya African National Union (KANU), with six per cent. Support is lower for health minister Charity Ngilu, lawmaker and former cabinet minister Najib Balala, and Uhuru Kenyatta of KANU.

In the 2002 presidential election, NARC candidate Kibaki defeated Kenyatta with 62.2 per cent of all cast ballots. Kibaki had served as vice-president under Daniel arap Moi.

On Aug. 2, Ngilu was arrested for allegedly assisting an activist escape from the Central Police Station. On Aug. 4, Ngilu was released without charges and blamed Kibaki for her plight, declaring, "I want to know from who (the police) are taking the powerful orders; to me there is only one 'above' and that is the president."

On Aug. 8, the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) released a statement against a controversial measure approved by lawmakers regarding press rights, which read: "It is wrong for MPs to have passed the bill in the first place, and we as church leaders ask Kibaki not to sign the bill into law." The NCCK was referring to a proposal that would make it mandatory for journalists to reveal their sources when asked.

Polycarp Ochilo, director of the Anti-Corruption Campaign Steering Committee, also urged the president not to sign the bill, saying, "It is incumbent to maintain the ethical journalism so far attained by the Kenyan media; it is in our interest that the media be left alone to tackle corruption provided they observe law and be responsible."

The next presidential election is tentatively scheduled for December.

Polling Data

Who would you vote for in the next presidential election?

Mwai Kibaki (NARC)	42%
Raila Odinga	26%
Kalonzo Musyoka (LDP)	11%
Musalia Mudavadi	8%
William Ruto	6%
Charity Ngilu	2%
Najib Balala	2%
Uhuru Kenyatta (KANU)	1%

Source: Infotrak Research and Consulting / Harris Interactive Global.
Methodology: Face-to-face interviews with 2,400 Kenyan adults, conducted in late July and early August 2007. No margin of error was provided.