The majority of Kenyans would prefer that Cord leader Raila Odinga does not vie for presidency in 2017 but should instead endorse another candidate if his party is to defeat Jubilee, a new poll published in The Star has revealed.

According to the latest opinion poll by Ipsos Kenya, Raila’s support has dwindled since the March 2013 elections with that of President Uhuru Kenyatta benefiting as a result.

40 per cent of respondents sampled in the study said that Raila should drop his presidential bid but come out publicly to back his preferred candidate, with Only 23 per cent saying that he should contest in the 2017 elections. 21 per cent maintained that the former Prime Minister should retire from active politics completely.

When the results of the poll were ranked regionally respondents from the Coast (42%) and Nyanza (47%) regions however seem to be still keen on having “baba” run for presidency in 2017. Other regions which are Cord strongholds like Eastern (40%) and Western (54%) are in support of Raila passing the mantle to another candidate for the presidency. Respondents in Nairobi County (49 %) shared similar views.

RAILA LOSING SUPPORTERS TO UHURU

The poll indicates that since the election in 2013 Raila has lost 14 per cent of his voters to Uhuru, 6 per cent to Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and 2 per cent to Cord principal Moses Wetangula and 1 per cent each to deputy president Wiliam Ruto and Peter Kenneth.

48 per cent of the respondents said that they would vote for Uhuru for president if elections were held today compared to only 25 per cent who said that they would vote for Raila.

ODM IN-FIGHTING

Internal wrangles and discipline issues within ODM have contributed largely to the declining support from Kenyans.

President Kenyatta’s personal approval ratings have risen significantly from 43 per cent to 71 per cent according to a previous poll by IPSOS released last month (see Kenya Forum, 16 Oct., 2014).

The Ipsos poll was conducted between November 6 and 14 with 2005 respondents who were interviewed on a face to face method.