Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Nairobi (Kenya) - Four Kenyans out of ten still live in dire poverty despite the recent economic recovery in the country which last year registered a growth of 5.8 per cent. According to a government survey 46%, or 16.5 million of Kenya's population of 35.5 million lives below the poverty line, although the conditions of many are better than six years ago.
The report which compares the situation compared with that of six years ago revealed that about 19 million Kenyans live on more than one dollar a day enough for their daily life in cities and rural areas. In cities too poverty has been reduced “the measures taken by Kibaki's government played an important role in the economy reducing poverty ”, Economy minister Amos Kimunya, said at the Kenyan International Conference Centre.
The survey refers to the eight provinces of the country, the least poor would appear to be Nairobi, with 21.3 % registered in 2006, compare to 52.6% in 2000. To follow the Central Provinces where the level of poverty has dropped from 35.3% in 2000 to the present 30.4%.
However in the large city slums in Kibera and Mathare the situation has changed little. Poverty levels in coastal areas has been reduced only slightly from 69.9 to 69.7 per cent and Rift Valley now registers 49% of the poor compared to 56.4. In the eastern Provinces the rate has fallen from 65.9% to 51%, and in the West from 66.1% to 52.2.
A greater reduction of poverty was registered in urban areas where it dropped from 51.5% to 33.7. In rural areas it dropped from 59.9 yo 49.1 per cent.
Nevertheless according to the report most of the poor live mainly in arid and semiarid areas. Turkana was seen to be the poorest rural areas with regard to scarcity of food with 93% of the adult population undernourished.
A report by a recently launched United Nations Development Programme registered a 56% poverty rate in the country and revealed marked disparity among Kenya's eight provinces.
Minister Obwocha said the government intends to invest in development infrastructures, especially roads, electricity and water mainly in areas where poverty rates are still high. (AP) (28/4/2007 Agenzia Fides; Righe:33; Parole:402)
