Tolerance and Tension

Islam and Christianity in Sub-Saharan Africa

POLL · April 15, 2010

Kenya

Political Map
Political Map of Kenya
Religious Affiliation
of Survey Respondents in Kenya
Religious Composition in Kenya

This pie chart shows the religious breakdown of the people surveyed in Kenya. See Appendix B for comparative estimates of the country's religious composition from some other studies and censuses.

Survey Answers of Respondents in Kenya (by topic)

How important is religion in your life?

% responding Response Very important Response Somewhat important Response Not too / not at all imp. Response Don't know
87
11
2
0
Total Population
86
12
2
1
Among Christians
95
4
1
Among Muslims

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How often do you attend religious services?

% respondingResponse Attend at least weekly Response Monthly or yearly Response Seldom or never Response Don't know
81
15
3
0
Total Population
80
17
3
0
Among Christians
91
6
2
Among Muslims

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Do you believe in God? How certain are you in this belief?

% respondingResponse Believe, absolutely certain Response Believe, less certain Response Do not believe Response Other / No opinion
95
5
0
0
Total Population
95
5
0
Among Christians
97
3
0
0
Among Muslims

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Is the Koran / Bible the word of God? Is it to be taken literally, word for word?

% respondingResponse Literal word of God Response Word of God, not literal Response Not word of God Response Other / No opinion
NA
Total Population
79
20
0
0
Among Christians
76
22
1
1
Among Muslims

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How often do you pray?

% respondingResponse Pray daily Response Weekly or monthly Response Seldom or never Response Don't know
79
18
3
0
Total Population
77
20
3
0
Among Christians
92
8
1
Among Muslims

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Do you fast for Lent or Ramadan?

% respondingResponse Yes Response No Response Don't Know
NA
Total Population
53
46
1
Among Christians
96
2
2
Among Muslims

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Have you experienced or witnessed a divine healing?

% respondingResponse Yes Response No Response Don't know
50
49
1
Total Population
54
46
1
Among Christians
25
75
1
Among Muslims

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Have you experienced or witnessed the devil being driven out of a person?

% respondingResponse Yes Response No Response Don't know
39
60
1
Total Population
42
57
1
Among Christians
16
83
1
Among Muslims

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Is it necessary to believe in God to be moral and have good values?

% respondingResponse Necessary Response Not necessary Response No opinion
71
29
0
Total Population
71
29
0
Among Christians
75
25
0
Among Muslims

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Have Western music, movies, and television hurt morality in your country?

% respondingResponse Have hurt morality Response Have not hurt morality Response No opinion
73
26
2
Total Population
72
26
2
Among Christians
77
22
1
Among Muslims

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Is abortion morally wrong, morally acceptable, or not a moral issue?

% respondingResponse Morally wrong Response Morally acceptable or Not a moral issue ResponseDepends / No opinion
91
2
7
Total Population
91
2
7
Among Christians
92
1
8
Among Muslims

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Is homosexual behavior morally wrong, morally acceptable, or not a moral issue?

% respondingResponse Morally wrong Response Morally acceptable or Not a moral issue Response Depends / No opinion
98
2
0
Total Population
98
2
0
Among Christians
96
2
2
Among Muslims

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Is polygamy morally wrong, morally acceptable, or not a moral issue?

% respondingResponse Morally wrong Response Morally acceptable or Not a moral issue Response Depends / No opinion
62
28
10
Total Population
67
23
11
Among Christians
30
65
5
Among Muslims

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How much do you know about Christianity?

% respondingResponse A great deal Response Some Response Not very much or nothing Response No opinion
67
24
9
0
Total Population
75
22
3
0
Among Christians
11
34
55
1
Among Muslims

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How much do you know about Islam?

% respondingResponse A great deal Response Some Response Not very much or nothing Response No opinion
15
17
67
1
Total Population
7
17
75
2
Among Christians
79
17
5
Among Muslims

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Do Islam and Christianity have a lot in common or are they very different?

% respondingResponse A lot in common Response Very different Response No opinion
34
59
7
Total Population
33
60
7
Among Christians
42
54
4
Among Muslims

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Do you associate the term "violent" with Muslims?

% respondingResponse Yes Response No Response No opinion
44
49
7
Total Population
48
44
8
Among Christians
13
85
1
Among Muslims

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Do you associate the term "violent" with Christians?

% respondingResponse Yes Response No Response No opinion
21
77
1
Total Population
20
79
1
Among Christians
32
64
4
Among Muslims

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Do you associate the term "honest" with Muslims?

% respondingResponse Yes Response No Response No opinion
71
21
8
Total Population
68
23
10
Among Christians
96
4
Among Muslims

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Do you associate the term "honest" with Christians?

% respondingResponse Yes Response No Response No opinion
81
17
1
Total Population
84
15
1
Among Christians
61
35
4
Among Muslims

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How concerned are you about extremist religious groups in your country?

% respondingResponse Very concerned Response Somewhat concerned ResponseNot too / not at all concerned ResponseNo opinion
29
29
37
6
Total Population
29
29
37
6
Among Christians
28
29
40
4
Among Muslims

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Is violence against civilians in defense of religion justified?

% respondingResponse Often justified Response Sometimes justified Response Rarely or never justified Response No opinion
5
13
80
3
Total Population
4
11
82
3
Among Christians
11
26
61
1
Among Muslims

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How many Muslims in your country support Islamic extremist groups such as al-Qaeda?

% respondingResponse Many, most or all Response Just some Response Very few or none Response No opinion
33
21
32
14
Total Population
33
21
30
16
Among Christians
29
17
48
6
Among Muslims

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Did you have any of your daughters circumcised?

% respondingResponse Yes Response No Response NA / Don't know
10
85
6
Total Population
9
85
5
Among Christians
11
81
8
Among Muslims

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Is it OK if political leaders have a different religion than yours?

% respondingResponse OK if leaders have different religion Response Only leaders with same religion Response No opinion
77
21
2
Total Population
78
20
2
Among Christians
73
25
2
Among Muslims

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Do you favor or oppose making the Bible or sharia the law of the land?

% respondingResponse Favor Response Oppose Response No opinion
NA
Total Population
57
41
2
Among Christians
64
33
3
Among Muslims

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Should women be allowed to serve in religious leadership roles, OR Should only men be able to serve?

% respondingResponse Women should be allowed Response Only men should be allowed Response Neither / No opinion
69
25
6
Total Population
74
20
6
Among Christians
32
63
5
Among Muslims

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Is democracy preferable to other kinds of government?

% respondingResponse Democracy preferable Response Sometimes nondemocracy pref. Response Does not matter / No opinion
80
12
8
Total Population
81
12
7
Among Christians
74
13
13
Among Muslims

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Notes

In countries where there were too few interviews with either Muslims or Christians, that subpopulation was not analyzed. Results are not shown for the total population for questions asked only to Muslims and Christians. Figures may not add to 100 due to rounding.

Part of the Pew-Templeton Global Religious Futures Project

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Explore more public opinion in Kenya at the Pew Global Attitudes Project Key Indicators Database.