TIFA releases latest public opinion data on the new finance budget 2023

Nairobi, Wednesday, July 5, 2023

KNA by Rebeccah Maria/ Susan Gichanja.

TIFA Research has released the June 2023 survey on various public issues which focuses on several aspects of the new Finance Budget 2023.

The survey includes the awareness of price changes in basic commodities since the 2022 election, views on the new budget, and the impact and expectations of the Housing Levy programme.

TIFA political analyst Tom Wolf said that it is clear that over the last six years, there have been significant changes in the use of cooking fuel by Kenyans, and most striking is the increase of nearly three times in the proportion of households using cooking gas from 13-34%.

“The decline is by even a greater proportion of those using paraffin from 14-4% and the proportion of households relying mainly on cooking gas will continue to increase following the implementation of Value Added Tax (VAT) in the new 2023-2024 budget.

Wolf added that while wood remains the most commonly used fuel for cooking at 45%, it is closely correlated with income presented by over half of those earning less than Sh5000 per month (60%) but far less than cooking gas among that earning above Sh50,000 (14 vs 61%).

“The Kenyan population as a whole and across the main political divide have quite diverse perceptions as to the main purpose of the 2023-2024 budget with that of increasing Government revenue being the most widely held even if among no category does it reach a third,” he voiced.

He further explained that Government and opposition supporters somehow differ in that twice as many of the former see development and service delivery as its main purpose as compared to the latter nearly three times as many, believe its main purpose is to allow for corruption.

“There is a clear correlation between monthly income and the expectation of being able to pay into the new housing fund. It is striking that even among those currently earning nothing ¼ (25%) of the Kenyan population have such expectations while only slightly more than twice that proportion (59%) in the highest income group do so,” Wolf highlighted.

He revealed that just over half (56%) of the only few employed in the formal sector expect to be contributing to the housing fund once it becomes operational.

Courtesy ; K. N. A