Uhuru Named Most Admired Public Figure in Kenya

President Kenyatta has been named as the most admired public figure in Kenya in 2019, a new survey shows.

Kenyatta ranked first with a 20 percent liking rate ahead of Deputy President William Ruto and Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader Raila Odinga, each with 10 percent, according to the survey carried out by research company Trends and Insight Africa (TIFA).

Seven percent of the respondents mentioned their mothers and fathers as their role models while rapper Kennedy Ombima, alias King Kaka, was the fifth most admired person with 4 percent. Ombima has been the talk of the town after he released his hard-hitting song, "Wajinga Nyinyi", which went viral online.

In position six is the no-nonsense Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang'i with three percent followed by retired President Mwai Kibaki, Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya, Ford Kenya leader Moses Wetang'ula, Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua and Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko, each with a marginal one percent. Shockingly, only one percent of those interviewed look up to their pastors, despite several studies showing that Kenyans are among the most religious people in the world (86 percent).

Among business leaders, industrialists Chris Kirubi and Manu Chandaria are the most admired with five and four percent respectively followed by Equity Bank CEO James Mwangi and billionaire Jimmi Wanjigi, both with three percent.

Marathoner Eliud Kipchoge is by far the most loved sportsman, with four out of ten choosing him as their most respected sportsman. Football stars Michael Olunga and Victor Wanyama are a distant fourth and fifth at six and five percent respectively.