Friday, December 24, 2010

New poll: Raila the most impressive of all MPs

BY BEAUTTAH OMANGA
Majority of Kenyans would not re-elect their MPs were elections called today, the latest opinion poll that also rated Prime Minister Raila Odinga as the most impressive of all MPs shows.
56 percent of Kenyans interviewed said they would not re-elect their MPs, 28 percent said they would while 16 percent were undecided.
However, those who felt they would not give their MPs a chance again, reduced from 70 percent two years ago with the infotrak researchers attributing the change of heart to the passing of the new constitution.
In the survey released on Thursday and conducted between December 16 and December 17, 1500 Kenyans were interviewed with eight out of 10 saying Mps are corrupt.
" When asked whether parliamentarians were performing their roles as per expectations, 6 in 10 Kenyans responded in affirmative while 40 percent of Kenyans generally felt that the legislators need to pull up their socks" said Angella Ambitho, the Infotrak’s director.
Briefing the press of the year-ender’s findings, Ambitho said half of those who are unhappy with parliament, cited corruption as their main cause for aggravation.
"They indicated that they disapproved the corrupt practices of certain MPs," said Ambitho.
As per the findings on the MPs’ performance in 2010, Raila was rated at 13 percent followed closely by Gichugu’s Martha Karua 12 percent and suspended Education Minister William Ruto 8 percent.
Other best performers as per the poll include, Gitobu Imanyara, 7 percent, while Mps Charity Ngilu, Peter Kenneth, Najib Balala and Bonny khalwale were all ranked sixth with 5 percent with Budalangi’s Ababu Namwamba at number 5 with 6 percent.
Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka has 4 percent trust of those polled, as is the case with cabinet minister John Michuki.
Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta is ranked eighth among the best performers with 3 percent followed by President Kibaki- the Othaya MP, MPs Abdikadir Mohammed, DPM Musalia Mudavadi, cabinet Minister James Orengo, Adan Kenyan and speaker Kenneth Marende at 2 percent.
On Thursday, Ambitho explained that those polled were only asked to single out the most impressive Mps of the year without them being required to explain.
Ruto’s performances is moral boosting given the predicament he has faced in the recent past over his alleged participation in the post election violence.
He still remains the most influential politician in Rift Valley region and he also enjoys pockets of admirers outside his home turf.
Uhuru Kenyatta who also faces the ICC action for the same suspicion is the seen to many as President Kibaki’s most trusted politician from central Kenya region.
MPs from the area led by Kiraitu Murungi and Ephrahim Maina declared recently that they were out to mobilize funds to boost his legal representation to The Hague on grounds that he was their regional political leader.
He too gets a boost from the recognition from Kenyans.
To the Gichugu MP, the high rating above Uhuru and Peter Kenneth, gives her reason to push on with her presidential ambitions. She remains a politician to watch as the 2012 clock ticks.
" All we wanted to know from Kenyans which of their Mps were most reliable and ever feasible and the results were interesting" said Ambitho.
She said the PM might have been rated highly because of his weekly parliamentary question time where he articulates government policies and takes members’ questions.
Since the setting aside of PM’s time, Raila has always availed himself in most cases to field questions from inquisitive MPs while as a co-ordinator of all ministries Kenyans hear from him more as compared to the VP whose assignments are limited.
In the list some regions had no mention of their Mps with the researchers explaining that they might have been mentioned but very few noticed their performance.
She said it was unfortunate that in the top 10, only two women Mps were ranked.
She said after the promulgation of the new constitution, Kenyans were optimistic that perennial challenges and historical injustices will be addressed.

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