Policy Brief No. 9 of 2004 on a Review of Policy Options for Poverty Reduction in Kenya.

Abstract

Poverty in Kenya is multidimensional and widespread among all socio-economic groups. It manifests itself in deprivation, isolation, alienation, insecurity and despondency. Low-income poverty manifests itself in the form of malnutrition, high mortality rate, illiteracy, and lack of access to basic education, drinking water, health facilities and shelter. Most of the poverty reduction strategies Kenya has adopted and implemented since independence have not yielded the anticipated results. This policy brief is based on a review of various poverty studies carried out by KIPPRA, including a study on Predicting household poverty: A methodological note with a Kenyan example. It reviews the poverty situation in Kenya, interventions and policy options required for poverty reduction. It is against the KIPPRA poverty estimate for the year 2000 that the government has pegged its efforts to restore economic growth, generate employment opportunities, and therefore reduce poverty levels from about 57% to 52% by the year 2007...