This archive report was first published on 18 July 2020.
July 18, 2020
Kenya has confirmed over 12,000 cases and 222 deaths from COVID-19, a disease that has spread to almost every country around the world.
The pandemic has had a devastating impact on the economy, with the Treasury lowering its 2020 growth forecast from 6.2 per cent to 2.5 per cent. The key sectors most affected are aviation, hospitality, tourism, and horticulture, with the export sector also being severely impacted.
According to estimates, the livelihoods of approximately 14.3 million vulnerable Kenyans have been affected by the pandemic. The majority of Kenyans, around 84 per cent, are employed in the informal sector, and movement restrictions have significantly reduced their income generation, making it difficult for them to meet basic needs.
The closure of borders has disrupted trade, including the steady supply of staple foods from Uganda and Tanzania. This has further strained an already struggling agriculture sector, which was also affected by the locust invasion, raising concerns about food shortages, particularly for maize, Kenya's staple food.
The pandemic has also highlighted the need for a more inclusive and sustainable economic growth model that prioritizes the well-being of all Kenyans, particularly the most vulnerable. It is a chance for Kenya to build a better future by embracing a fair and sustainable transition to a new social contract.
As Rogers Dhliwayo, an Economics Advisor at the UNDP Kenya Country Office, and Julius Chokerah, a Development Coordination Officer/Economist at the United Nations Resident Coordinators' Office, Kenya, note, 'Building a better, post-pandemic future for Kenya will require environmental, social and economic interventions that lead to greater resilience.'
Recovery efforts must accelerate, rather than undermine decarbonisation and protection of the country's natural capital. A clear recovery path that recognizes the role of environmental and natural capital is critical, so that everyone in Kenya can be whatever they aspire to be in life.
Attention must also be paid to peace, good governance, gender equality and empowerment, as well as the protection and promotion of human rights for all.
