EAST AFRICA: In recent years, newspapers have experienced a marked decline as the primary source of news and information in East Africa. A newly updated report, A Compendium of Ten Years of Sauti za Wananchi, highlights shifting media consumption patterns across Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. The report reveals that in Tanzania and Uganda, radio continues to dominate as the leading medium, with the majority of citizens relying on it for their daily news. In contrast, in Kenya, television has surpassed radio as the main source of information.
The study highlights the decline of newspapers as a major source of news across the region. Once a dominant force, newspapers now serve only a small portion of the population in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. In Tanzania, radio is followed by television as the second most important source, while in Uganda, word of mouth ranks second after radio. On the other hand, in Kenya, television leads as the dominant news medium, with radio trailing behind.
Social media is increasingly playing a role in how people access information, particularly in Kenya, where its influence is growing rapidly. In Tanzania, social media also plays a role, though to a lesser extent.
Trust and Social Dynamics in Kenya and Tanzania
The report also delves into social trust, revealing that in both Kenya and Tanzania, citizens overwhelmingly trust their family members, with 86% of Kenyans and 88% of Tanzanians expressing complete trust in their families. However, this trust does not extend as broadly to others. Kenyans, in particular, show a complex relationship with trust, as they are more likely than Tanzanians to express complete trust in various groups, including neighbors and colleagues. Conversely, a significant portion of Kenyans (56%) report that they do not trust strangers at all.
When it comes to living next door to marginalized groups, most citizens in both countries express discomfort with the idea of living near drug addicts or heavy alcohol drinkers. However, they are generally accepting of unmarried couples, immigrants, people of different races, religions, tribes, and those living with HIV/AIDS.
National Concerns and Uncertainty
The report also reflects a growing sense of concern and uncertainty about the direction of their countries among citizens in the region. In Kenya and Uganda, the majority of citizens believe their countries are heading in the wrong direction, with 52% of Kenyans expressing this sentiment in 2022, down from previous years. In Uganda, 56% of citizens felt this way in 2020, marking an increase in dissatisfaction.
In Tanzania, confidence in the country’s direction was high in 2020, with 77% of citizens believing the country was on the right track. However, this optimism has waned significantly since mid-2021, leaving many Tanzanians unsure about the country’s future. This shift may be influenced by a combination of political changes, such as the death of President Magufuli in early 2021, the election of a new government in Kenya in 2022, economic challenges, and the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Civic Participation Across the Region
Citizen participation in public and community meetings shows stark differences across the three countries. Tanzanians are the most active, with 75% reporting that they attended a community meeting in the previous year, compared to 56% in Kenya and 40% in Uganda. The lower participation rate in Uganda may be attributed to COVID-19 restrictions.
Gender differences in civic participation are also evident, particularly in Kenya and Uganda, where men are more likely than women to attend community meetings. In Tanzania, however, this gender gap is minimal, with women slightly more likely than men to participate in such meetings.
The report also notes that roughly one in four citizens across the three countries is willing, in principle, to participate in a public demonstration on issues that concern them. This willingness is slightly higher among men than women.
Few Tanzanians Interact with Refugees Compared to Kenyans, Ugandans
Tanzanians are significantly less likely to have ever interacted with refugees compared to their counterparts in Kenya and Uganda. According to the Sauti za Wananchi surveys, only 8% of Tanzanian citizens report having had any interaction with refugees. This figure stands in stark contrast to 26% of Kenyans and 33% of Ugandans who have had such interactions.
The three East African countries are home to large populations of refugees from neighboring nations, often concentrated in specific regions. In some cases, refugees have lived in these countries for so long that they have integrated into local communities, making it difficult for locals to identify them as refugees.
Public Support for Services, but Reluctance on Citizenship and Land
Despite the lower interaction rates, citizens across Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda show strong support for providing essential public services, such as healthcare, security, and education, to refugees. The surveys indicate that between 88% and 97% of citizens in these countries believe that their governments should continue offering these services to refugees.
However, the support wanes when it comes to offering refugees access to productive opportunities like land and employment, or even citizenship. In Uganda, a majority of citizens believe that refugees should be allowed to work, access land, and eventually obtain citizenship. In contrast, most citizens in Tanzania and Kenya are hesitant about granting refugees access to land or citizenship, though they are more open to allowing refugees to work.
Understanding Sauti za Wananchi Surveys
The findings come from the Sauti za Wananchi surveys, which are conducted across Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. These surveys use a combination of traditional face-to-face interviews and mobile phone surveys to gather data quickly and efficiently. The surveys are designed to be nationally representative, ensuring that every adult citizen in these countries has an equal chance of being selected for an interview. This methodology provides a comprehensive view of citizens’ opinions and experiences on various topics, including their interactions with refugees.
The surveys reveal a nuanced perspective on how East Africans view and interact with refugees, highlighting both the support for public services and the reluctance to extend certain rights and opportunities to refugee populations.
