This archive report was first published on 5 July 2020.
Kenya's economy has taken a severe hit from the COVID-19 lockdown, with a recent survey revealing that 74% of Kenyans have experienced a significant decline in earnings.
Conducted in Nairobi's low-income areas between June 2 and 15, the study found that nearly three-quarters of respondents reported a loss of income since March, a slight decline from the previous survey.
The survey, conducted by Trends and Insights For Africa, involved telephone calls with a 4.1% margin of error and targeted residents in areas such as Huruma, Kibera, Mathare, Korogocho, Mukuru kwa Njenga, and Kawangware.
According to the survey, 53% of respondents were male, while 47% were female, with the largest age group category being 25-35 years.
Interestingly, the survey found that 86% of respondents endorsed President Uhuru Kenyatta's directive to extend the containment measures on June 6, while 79% agreed with the curfew extension.
However, the survey also revealed that women were more likely to be jobless, with 32% of women surveyed being unemployed compared to 29% of men.
Among those who were self-employed, the majority were in the informal sector, with Hawking leading the category at 23%, followed by Juakali artisans, food/kiosk businesses, and launderers.
Notably, only about one-fifth of all respondents who had been working earned more than Sh20,000 per month before the restrictions were implemented.
The survey's findings come as President Kenyatta is set to issue new containment measures or review the current ones on Monday, on expiry of the extension issued last month.
