This archive report was first published on 9 September 2021.
Published on September 9, 2021, the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) announced that the country's economic growth is expected to reach over six percent in 2021, following a decline of 0.3 percent in 2020.
The economy experienced a 4.7 percent decline in 2020, compared to the 5 percent growth reported in 2019. The contraction in economic performance was attributed to disruptions in labor supply caused by COVID-19 restrictions and social distancing measures.
Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yattani emphasized the importance of economic recovery strategies, including employment opportunities for the youth, to sustain the growth. He also highlighted the Kenya Revenue Authority's performance, which has exceeded targets.
Key sectors that contributed to the growth include construction activities, which reported an 11.8 percent increase, and health services, which grew by 6.7 percent. Finance and insurance activities also showed a 5.6 percent growth, while agriculture and ICT accounted for 4.8 percent growth each.
On the other hand, hospitality, education, and transport sectors were severely affected, recording declines of 47.7 percent, 10.7 percent, and 7.8 percent, respectively. Wholesale and retail trade, as well as manufacturing, also reported declines of 0.4 percent and 0.1 percent, respectively.
