New Twaweza survey indicates citizens in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda more troubled by inflation

Dar es Salaam. A new report released on Tuesday, August 14 reveals that citizens in Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda are primarily grappling with economic hardships, particularly the impact of soaring inflation.

Called Sauti za Wananchi, the 10-year compendium of surveys produced by policy advocacy organisation, Twaweza East Africa, gathered data on citizens’ experiences and opinions on important matters of public policy across the three East African nations.

The report findings indicate that the economy, with inflation as a primary driver, is the most significant challenge facing over 70 percent of the population in Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda

“Since 2013, we have been gathering data on the experiences and opinions of citizens and presenting the results to the public and to policymakers,” said the executive director of Twaweza, Mr Aidan Eyakuze.

He added: “This new compendium of 10 years of Sauti za Wananchi shows the enormous number of stories that citizens have to tell. And more than that, it shows how important it is that we pay attention to what citizens are saying and how much we can all benefit from doing so.”

He said citizens deserve to have their voices heard by all who make decisions that affect their lives.

“Our Sauti za Wananchi surveys are a way to make this possible,” he said.

The report reveals that 73 percent of Tanzanians have a more favourable view of their country's business environment, compared to 63 percent of Ugandans.

In contrast, only 45 percent of Kenyans share the same optimism, making them less positive than their East African counterparts.

Citizen participation in public meetings is notably higher in Tanzania compared to Kenya and Uganda.

While citizens across all three countries take pride in their national identity, Kenyans are less likely to primarily identify themselves as citizens of their country.

The findings further reveal that a substantial proportion of East Africans report experiencing food stress. Sources of household income vary significantly across the three countries.

Most citizens rely primarily on government health facilities, although private and non-governmental organisation facilities also play a significant role in providing healthcare.

The report indicates that Uganda lags well behind Kenya and Tanzania in health insurance coverage, while access to improved water sources in rural areas is lower in Tanzania than it is in Kenya or Uganda.

Twaweza reported that over 125 nationally representative survey rounds were conducted, totalling an estimated 74,000 hours of interviews with citizens.

The reports highlight numerous instances where Sauti za Wananchi has directly influenced changes in policy and practice by the government and other key stakeholders.

The organisation added that Sauti za Wananchi is a mobile phone-based public opinion infrastructure that has significantly reshaped their understanding of citizens' views across East Africa.

Over the past decade, Sauti za Wananchi has collected and analysed the opinions of thousands of citizens on various aspects of their lives, including governance, public services, and social issues, across different regions.