A new national survey has revealed that public trust in Kenya’s key institutions has dropped to low levels, with negative sentiment outweighing positive views across Parliament, the police, the presidency, political parties, electoral bodies, and county leadership, pointing to growing concern over governance and leadership.
The findings, released by TIFA Research, show deepening public doubt at a time when economic pressure and dissatisfaction with government performance continue to dominate national debate.
The survey was conducted between May 2 and May 11, 2026, and covered 2,013 adults drawn from all 47 counties. It found that none of the major institutions assessed recorded a positive net trust rating.
Parliament recorded the weakest performance, with a net trust rating of negative 45 percentage points. Only 27% of respondents said they had positive trust, while 72% reported little or no trust.
The police followed closely with a net trust rating of negative 40 points. Both the presidency and political parties each recorded negative 39 points.
County leadership and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) both registered a net trust rating of negative 36 points.
The Judiciary performed relatively better than the rest but still remained in negative territory, with a net trust rating of negative 24 points.
The survey further shows that only about one in ten respondents expressed very high confidence in any institution. The Judiciary and the President each received 11% on the “a lot of trust” measure, while the IEBC recorded 10%.
“Public confidence remains weak, with negative trust ratings outweighing positive sentiment across all institutions, suggesting widespread skepticism toward leadership, governance structures, and public institutions,” the report stated.
The findings also reflect broader dissatisfaction with the country’s direction. According to the survey, 74% of Kenyans said the country is moving in the wrong direction, compared to just 14% who believe it is heading in the right direction.
The report notes that this dissatisfaction is spread across different regions, indicating that negative sentiment is not limited to specific areas but is widespread nationwide.
Institutional trust levels also mirror concerns about government performance across key sectors. When respondents assessed the Kenya Kwanza administration across nine policy areas, all categories received negative ratings.
Taxation emerged as the weakest area, with only 7% saying government actions had improved the situation, while 74% said conditions had worsened.
The survey observed that public opinion on governance is closely tied to economic realities facing households across the country.
Nearly two-thirds of respondents, 64%, said their family’s economic situation has worsened since the 2022 General Election, while only 19% reported improvement.
TIFA concluded that the results reflect a population increasingly doubtful about the effectiveness of leadership and public institutions.
“Finally, looking at ratings of Kenya Kwanza government performance in various sectors, it may have been expected that it gains its highest rating with regard to the reduction of political tensions, and that its worst rating is of taxation,” the report noted.
Researchers further observed that the findings provide a clear snapshot of public mood at a time when economic strain, governance concerns, and political shifts continue to shape perceptions of national leadership and state institutions.