This archive report was first published on 21 June 2020.
Published on June 21, 2020, a hundred days since the first Covid-19 case was reported in Kenya, a new survey shows that Kenyans feel overwhelmed and want virus restrictions lifted.
According to a poll released by Infotrak, Kenyans are stressed and financially overburdened by the restrictions, with 41 per cent viewing the coronavirus as a personal financial issue and 35 percent seeing it as both a personal financial and health matter.
Mr Walter Nyabundi, the Special Projects and Loyalty Research Manager at Infotrak Research and Consulting, said, “With increasing unemployment, underemployment, threats to job security and salary cuts, most Kenyans have come to terms with the economic impact of the pandemic.”
Most people are unable to make ends meet, a situation that is causing stress, with 87 per cent of Kenyans saying the cost of food has gone up and 68 percent unable to buy adequate fuel.
Seventy nine per cent of respondents said they can no longer remit money to dependants back at home, while 67 percent are unable to pay for utilities like electricity and water.
At the same time, the study shows that 74 per cent of Kenyans living in urban areas are unable to pay their rent on time, while 72 per cent said they could not pay their house rents in full.
Mr Nyabundi added, “Fifty four percent of employed Kenyans also stated that they are facing financial challenges because their salaries were reduced while 47 per cent of all Kenyans intimated that they are currently depending on food donation from well-wishers.”
As such, the majority of Kenyans (81 per cent) are anxious and stressed, with 68 per cent saying they felt confused, 63 per cent feeling trapped, and 61 per cent feeling lonely.
