A survey conducted by Infotrak and released on Monday, January 22, sheds light on the economic challenges faced by the majority of residents in Mt Kenya and Rift Valley regions. According to the pollster's findings, over 70 percent of residents in these areas are either struggling or experiencing severe financial distress.

The survey highlights similar situations in other regions, with the Coast and North Eastern regions also recording over 70 percent of residents grappling with debilitating poverty. In Rift Valley, where President William Ruto hails from, 73 percent of residents are in dire need of economic support. In Mt Kenya, covering the defunct Central Province and Upper Eastern, 74 percent of the population requires emergency financial assistance. The North Eastern and Coast regions lead in severe financial distress, with rates at 78 and 76 percent, respectively.

The survey further reveals that a majority of Kenyans, comprising 73 percent, are either in severe financial distress or struggling to make ends meet. Only 5 percent of the nation's population claims to be living comfortably amid the rising cost of living, while 22 percent state that they are neither struggling nor comfortable.

Infotrak notes that surveyed Kenyans have adopted various coping strategies to navigate economic hardships. The main strategies include engaging in side hustles (45 percent of respondents) and reducing non-essential expenditures (41 percent). Additionally, 18 percent of Kenyans have resorted to taking out loans to fill financial gaps, leading to increased stress and anxiety for 48 percent of the population.