Tifa poll: Kenyans rate Agriculture CS Linturi as the worst performer, Kindiki as the best

Tifa Research Political Analyst Tom Wolf makes his remarks during the release of an opinion poll on May 2, 2024.

Photo credit: Francis Nderitu | Nation Media Group

Agriculture and Livestock Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi is the worst-performing minister, with an overall rating of 25 per cent.

He is the only CS with Grade E, according to the Tifa Research opinion poll.  

Interior Ministry Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki is the most trusted and performance-oriented member of the Cabinet, scoring an overall rating of 68 per cent, translating to an average Grade B plain.  

This is according to the latest polls conducted by TIFA Research, a market research company, that gathered the views of some 2,912 respondents from all regions of the country between April 27-29. 

The data was collected via telephone interviews, with questions in Kiswahili and English. 

Several attributes were put in place during the research. They included the level of public trust the masses have in the CS, their visibility, and how they communicate their ministry’s activities. 

The performance of the CS was measured. 

Prime CS Musalia Mudavadi was second in the poll after gathering an overall rating of 59 per cent (C plus). In third, fourth and fifth place are Youth, Sports and the Arts CS, Ababu Namwamba (also with 59 per cent), ICT and Digital Economy CS, Eliud Owalo, who got 51 per cent (Grade C) and Defence CS, Adan Duale who also managed a C plain grade of 50 per cent. 

The bottom five Cabinet secretaries based on their performance include Energy CS Davis Chirchir (33 per cent, D-), Labour and Social Protection CS Florence Bore (31 per cent, D-), Rebecca Miano, CS, Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (27 per cent). 

The second lowest-ranked CS was Zachary Njeru, in charge of the Water, Sanitation and Irrigation docket. He scored an average of 27 per cent (D-). 

Whereas the last week has been bombarded by confusion and disorderliness in the education sector, particularly with the directives on the postponement of the opening of schools that came in at 1am on the eve of the school’s reopening, Education CS Ezekiel Machogu ranks sixth highest.

He managed a 48 per cent rating, a C-. Hot on his heels include his Public Service counterpart, Moses Kuria, with a C- of 45 per cent. 

Only two CSs managed to get a grade of D+, Transport CS, Kipchumba Murkomen (41 per cent) and Lands and Housing CS, Alice Wahome (40 per cent). 

Eight cabinet secretaries scored the D plain. They include Aisha Jumwa (Gender, 39 per cent), Soipan Tuya (Environment, 37 per cent), Salim Mvurya (Mining, 36 per cent), Simon Chelugui (Cooperative Development, 36 per cent), Alfred Mutua (Tourism and Wildlife, 36 per cent), Njuguna Ndung’u (Treasury, 36 per cent), Susan Nakhumicha (Health, 36 per cent) and Peninah Malonza (East Africa Community and ASAL, 35 per cent).