Kenyan Population Grows 26% Over Decade, Adding Budget Pressures

(Bloomberg) -- Kenya’s population grew by one quarter over the past decade, adding pressure to the government as it tries to balance boosting provision of social services with managing its debt.

The number of people in East Africa’s largest economy increased to 47.6 million from a revised 37.7 million, the National Bureau of Statistics Director-General Zachary Mwangi said Monday, citing a census report. Females make up 50.5% of the population, he said. Kenya’s capital, Nairobi has 4.4 million people.

President Uhuru Kenyatta is struggling to fund his so-called Big Four Agenda to increase the stock of affordable housing, and improve healthcare, farming and manufacturing. Revenue collection has been below target and forced his administration to increase its 2019-20 budget-gap forecast to 6.2% of gross domestic product.

The five most populous counties are Nairobi, Kiambu, Nakuru, Kakamega and Bungoma, while Lamu, Isiolo, Samburu, Tana River and Taita Taveta are the least populated, the data shows.

To contact the reporter on this story: Eric Ombok in Nairobi at eombok@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: David Malingha at dmalingha@bloomberg.net, Helen Nyambura

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