Survey shows Kenya’s population now 38.6 million
By Mark Oloo in Nairobi – Kenya’s population has soared by 10 million in the last 10 years, the government announced today.
Releasing results of a national population census done last year, National Planning Minister Wycliffe Oparanya said the East African country now has 38,610,097 people since the last head count in 1989.
Presenting the figures in Nairobi today, Oparanya said the rise in population figures had strained the country’s resources.
The results, whose delay caused jitters within the Kenyan government, also showed a gender split of fifty- fifty.
The minister said despite financial challenges, the outcome of the census was credible and significantly showed an accurate face of the Kenyan population.
He, however, said the census had been cancelled in eight districts due to outright irregularities and a repeat exercise ordered.
The results are expected to assist the government in execution of its budgetary plans alongside the creation and review of administrative regions and constituencies.
Kenya’s interim boundaries review commission, led by Mr Andrew Ligale, is expected to partly rely on the census figures in recommending constituency and district borders.
