This archive report was first published on 4 December 2019.
According to a recent report from the World Bank Group, published on December 4, 2019, 52 percent of Kenyans are at risk of falling into poverty within the next two years if material reforms fail to accelerate poverty reduction.
While the risk of poverty has decreased significantly from 63 percent a decade ago, economists at the World Bank are calling for more urgent measures to bring down the number of those languishing in poverty.
One of the key recommendations is to raise incomes for Kenyans through increased government spending in social protection programs.
Counties in the former North Eastern province are far worse off than the national poverty average, the report notes.
These findings come just days after the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) announced a notable rise in the consumer price index (CPI), driven by significant increases in key foodstuffs.
Unga prices, for instance, rose by 4.3 percent month on month, while Irish potatoes, tomatoes, and mineral water also saw price increments.
The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) implemented fuel price increments across the board, averaging Ksh.2.72, which impacted both energy and transport costs during the month.
As a result, the housing and transport index, which accounts for 27 percent of the household consumption basket, rose by 0.3 points, driven by surging rent and cooking costs.
