Kenya Holds Population Census as Spending Pressure Climbs

(Bloomberg) -- Kenya is set to start a population census on Saturday amid mounting budget pressure in East Africa’s largest economy.

The count, which will cost an estimated 18.5 billion shillings ($179 million), comes as Kenya strives to expand its infrastructure and boost the provision of services including housing and healthcare. That spending pressure has increased government borrowing as revenue falls short of targets, with public debt climbing 16% to 5.81 trillion shillings in June from a year ago.

Some results from the count will be released three months after it ends on Aug. 31, the interior ministry said Thursday. Kenya’s population had reached an estimated 47.8 million people at the end of 2018, according the nation’s statistics agency.

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