More Kenyans have a favourable opinion of the United States than China following US President Barack Obama's visit to the country in late July.

This is according to a recent survey by Nairobi-based research firm Ipsos which indicates that 56 per cent of Kenyans polled say the US is the most important development partner for the country outside the East African Community.

Only 15 per cent of Kenyans have a favourable opinion of China as the country’s most important development partner – followed by Germany, UK and Japan at one per cent each.

In the run-up to the elections, campaign rhetoric – especially from Uhuru Kenyatta-led Jubilee Coalition – was laced with anti-West sentiments which severely tattered the image of the US in the Kenya.

The “choices have consequences” warning by former US Assistant of Secretary of State for African Affairs, Johnnie Carson, severely strained relations between Nairobi and Washington after Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto won the presidency in 2013.

A number of Kenyans were seemingly angered by what appeared to be attempts by the West to dictate to them who to elect.

Some senior ruling party politicians went as far as saying that the country could as well do without the West since many of the major infrastructure projects were being bankrolled by China.

Mr Kenyatta’s eventual win was seen by many analysts as a protest vote against the West.

But with the president’s case at the International Criminal Court (ICC) now dismissed, iciness towards the US has gradually thawed.

Mr Kenyatta's trip to Washington last year for the African Leadership Summit and the Nairobi visit by Secretary of State John Kerry in April signalled a warming of relations between Nairobi and Washington.

President Obama’s visit last month was however a major coup de grâce for the Kenyatta administration which was still struggling to find its way through the landscape of international politics.

Kenyans saw the visit not just as the homecoming of a son of the soil, but also as a gesture of goodwill and respect to their president; whose now collapsed case at the ICC threatened to isolate him on the global stage.

The survey also found that Kenyans see China second to US as the country’s most important partner.

Just months ago when Mr Kenyatta was facing charges at the court, China was seen favourably especially among Jubilee supporters, implicitly implying that many Kenyans thought the country could rely on Beijing if relations with the West worsened.

But now, even among Jubilee supporters, the survey results show that much fewer people view China favourably.

The survey found that support for China as the country’s most important partner has dropped from 23 per cent to 15 per cent. Interestingly, the largest drop is among Jubilee supporters – from 33 per cent to 23 per cent.

Among the opposition CORD supporters – who have on many occasions been called “stooges of Western countries” by Jubilee supporters – only 7 per cent view China favourably while 68 per cent say the US is the most important partner for the country.