Governors Wycliffe Oparanya (Kakamega), Salim Mvurya (Kwale) and Kivutha Kibwana (Makueni) have been rated the most popular, in a survey that ranked their counties the best performing, in that order.
The survey by pollster Infotrak also found experience in office didn’t count for much, as the 23 second-term governors had an overall score of 56 per cent compared to 53.1 per cent for their 24 colleagues serving a first term.
And in an unflattering verdict, the overall performance by the 47 counties was rated below par by respondents with a mean score of 47.5 per cent, with residents least impressed with how counties were overseeing agriculture, roads, energy, trade, water, housing, lands and settlement dockets.
The governors who ranked the poorest were Kiambu under Ferdinand Waititu (33 per cent), Samburu’s Moses Lenolkula (38.7 per cent) and Homa Bay’s Cyprian Awiti (41.3 per cent). Mr James Nyoro took over from Mr Ferdinand Waititu who was impeached early this year while Mr Lenolkula is facing corruption charges. The poll assessed the performance of counties based on the devolved functions of health, planning, agriculture, environment, housing, lands and settlement, trade and tourism, roads and transport among others.
Mr Oparanya, the Council of Governors chairman, was rated the most popular county chief with an approval rating of 82.3 per cent.
Mr Mvurya polled 77.1 per cent, Prof Kibwana (74.4 per cent), Kisumu’s Anyang’ Nyong’o (65.9 percent) and Machakos governor Alfred Mutua closed the top five with an approval rating of 65.1 per cent.
Apart from Prof Nyong’o, the other governors on the top five list are serving a second-term. Other governors with low approval ratings are Nyamira’s John Nyagarama (42.5%) and Trans Nzoia’s Patrick Khaemba (42.7 per cent). Governors from the Rift Valley and Nyanza dominate the bottom five list.
Infotrak chief executive Angela Ambitho said the CountyTrak survey, whose findings were released yesterday, polled 37,600 people between September and December 2019.
Respondents were asked: Could you please tell me how you would rate the overall performance of your governor since August 2017 on a scale of 1 - 10 where 1 is extremely poor and 10 is excellent?
A total of 13 indicators were surveyed and Mr Oparanya emerged first in nine of them. They include agriculture, roads, trade, tourism, water management, environment, culture and sports, social services and Planning.
“The timing of the study may affect three counties; Nairobi, Kiambu and Bomet, which were undergoing leadership changes during this period,” the survey noted.
In Nairobi, Mr Sonko was transferring functions to the NMS, Mr Nyoro had taken over following Waititu’s ouster while Bomet Hillary Barchok was preparing to take over following Joyce Laboso’s death .
In terms of regions, Mr Oparanya topped former Western province, Mr Mvurya was the best in Coast, Prof Kibwana in Eastern and John Lonyangapuo (West Pokot) was the best in the former Rift Valley region.
And even though some of its functions have since been transferred to Nairobi Metropolitan Services, the poll suggests Governor Mike Sonko had a strong showing in 2019.
Of the 13 key functions, Sonko performed best in roads and transport to emerge second overall after Mr Oparanya with 59 per cent. Mr Mvurya’s impressive scorecard is on early childhood education where he was ranked first overall, health, trade and tourism, and planning.
Prof Kibwana had a strong showing in health services, housing and settlement, planning, environment and other key functions like further devolving tasks to wards, use of technology in service delivery and prevention of corruption.
Prof Nyong’o is was best in energy and health indices. Key indicators under the energy index are ensuring access to affordable energy for lighting and cooking like electricity, gas and kerosene and the promotion of clean energy.
On agriculture Prof Lonyangapuo was second to Mr Oparanya, and also posted impressive scores in early childhood education, housing and settlement, and culture and sports.
In the Mt Kenya region, Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga (56.5 per cent), Murang’a’s Mwangi Wa Iria (55.5 per cent) and Kirinyaga’s Anne Waiguru (54.4 per cent) are the top performers.
At the Coast, Mvurya was followed by Kilifi’s Amason Kingi (56.9 per cent) and Mombasa’s Hassan Joho (55.8 per cent).
The governors with the lowest approval ratings in the region are Tana River’s Dhado Godhana (42.9 per cent) and Granton Samboja (42.9 per cent).
In the northern region, Mandera Governor Ali Roba has the highest approval rating at 54.3 per cent followed by Garissa’s Ali Korane (49.3 per cent) and Wajir’s Mahamud Abdi 46.2 per cent.
Following Prof Nyong’o in Nyanza is Kisii’s James Ongwae (57.8 per cent) and Okoth Obado at 55.5 per cent.
In the Rift Valley, following Prof Lonyang’apuo is Uasin Gishu’s Jackson Mandago (63.5 per cent) and Turkana’s Josephat Nanok (62.5 per cent).
In Western, Mr Oparanya is followed by Vihiga’s Wilber Ottichillo (60.5 per cent) and Bungoma’s Wycliffe Wangamati (56.6 per cent.)
Rated at 51.2 per cent, Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu is fourth in Eastern after Prof Kibwana, Dr Mutua and Tharaka Nithi’s Muthomi Njuki ( 62.6 per cent).
Isiolo’s Mohamed Kuti (46.5 per cent) and Meru’s Kiraitu Murungi (46.7 per cent) are trailing the eastern front.
