Kenya: Population Growth Rate Alarming
By Eric Sande
Kenya’s population stands at 38.6 million according to the 2009 National Population Census results announced yesterday by Planning, National Development and Vision 2030 minister Wycliffe Oparanya. The figure is only 1.4 million shy of the 40 million mark.
This is a tremendous increase on the 1979 census, whose tally stood at 15.3million, rising to 21.4 million ten years later. The 1999 Census results were not released to the public but it was estimated that the population stood at 28.7 million. According to statistics, an average Kenyan woman gives birth to 4 to 6 babies.
Projections indicate that the country’s population will stand at 51.3 million by 2025, if the current rate of population growth is maintained. These figures will put Kenya as one of the most populous countries in Africa. The figures indicate that the country’s population is growing at the rate of 1 million people per year.
The four major populous ethnic communities in the country include the Kikuyu (6.62 million), the Luhya (5.33 million), Kalenjin (4.96 million) and Luo (4.04 million).
The Luo community which currently settles at the fourth position, was the second most populous community according to the 1979 census but has since been overtaken by the Luhya and the Kalenjin.
The gender figures controverted the myth that women’s population exceeds that of men by a huge margin. There are 19,192,458 males and 19,417,639 females showing women are slightly more than men by 225,181.
Oparanya urged the government and experts to come up with measures and advanced strategies to reverse the growth. He said the high rate of population growth has adverse effects on spending in infrastructure, health, education, environment, water, and other social and economic sectors. His warning came hot on the heels of the 27th August proclamation of the new Constitution, which looks forward to redevelopment of the national standard of living.
“This high rate of population growth has adverse effects on spending in infrastructure, health, education, environment, water and other social and economic sectors,” warned Oparanya.
On Constituency levels, Embakasi constituency in Nairobi has a population of 925,775 , Kasarani (525,624), Juja (486,121), Mandera Central (417,294), Kisauni (405, 930), Eldoret North (391,655), Kajiado North (387,538), Saboti (387,366), Naivasha (376,243) and Turkana North (374,414). According to the minister, these constituencies post the highest population and should be split.
The least populated constituencies are Lamu East (18,841), Isiolo South (43,118), Saku (46,502), Wundanyi (56,021), Samburu East (59,094), Galole (60,866), Mogotio (60,959), Laisamis (65,669), Budalang’i (66,723) and Taveta (67,665).
The Interim Independent Boundaries Review Commission (IIBRC) which has been eagerly awaiting the census results to guide it in fixing boundaries of constituencies and wards, is now in a position to start the demarcation programme in every constituency. The commission has to submit its recommendations for both old and new electoral areas by August next year.
Andrew Ligale, the IIBRC chairman, said they would go through the census figures and come up with a system of arriving at the 80 new constituencies which are to be created.
Since independence, Kenya has been conducting its population census after every ten years.