UN Stats: Kenya Leads in Skills in Eastern Africa, But Overall Life Expectancy Remains Same

Overall, Kenyans' life expectancy has not significantly changed since it peaked at 59.4 years, according to World Bank statistics. On the other hand, investments in skill development are paying off handsomely as Kenya now has the most skilled labour force in Eastern Africa.

Just before independence in 1961, life expectancy overall was 46.7 years.Malaria and water and food borne diseases coupled with high child mortality rate were wide spread. But after independence, health and education were expanded reducing significantly child mortality and malaria.

Within less than 10 years of independence, according to World Bank statistics, life expectancy had improved to 52.5 years.There was a slowing down in the subsequent years.But by 1990 life expectancy had moved up to roughly 60 years before dropping again to 54.3 and now 54.1.

The Kenya Economic Report 2009 recently released by the Kenya Government shows there is a wide variation in life expectancy in various parts of the country. In some, life expectancy is nearly a half that of the highest. In Meru, life expectancy is still at 60 years while at the Coast, it has dropped to 30 years.

In Central Province, life expectancy has similarly dropped to 30 years. Other provinces that have seen significant drops in life expectancy include the Rift Valley and Nyanza. The drop has been attributed to a re-emergence of diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis and the new diseases such as HIV/Aids.

Unemployment rate is estimated at 40 per cent, remaining at the same level despite government efforts to create employment. Such efforts have included the creation of a specialized ministry for youth which administers a loan kitty aimed at making school leavers self employed by offering cheap loan facilities.

‘Kazi kwa vijana’

There has also been other programmes such as Kazi Kwa Vijana in which youth are given jobs in public development projects such as tree planting and environmental improvements. Clear statistics; however do not exist to show how much these schemes have contributed in reducing youth unemployment although the government says they have created more than 500,000 jobs for the youth.

Statistics however show there has been a rise in dependency ratios created mainly by a high population growth rate and an increasing number of orphans due to HIV/Aids. Again dependency ratios differ from region to region with Eastern Province having the highest dependency ratio. In the province, there are 132 people depending on 100 who are working.

Kenya however remains the hub of economic activity in eastern Africa where it has the most skilled, most educated labor force. The labor force is estimated at 52 per cent. And literacy rate stands at 88 per cent for men and 79 per cent for women, one of the highest in the region. In urban areas, illiteracy is very low with men at 6 per cent and women 11 percent as compared with 14 per cent and 25 per cent respectively in the rural areas.

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