The Gini coefficient, or the Gini index, is a statistical measure of wealth and income inequality within a nation or population. The Gini Index ranges from 0 to 1, with zero standing for perfect equality and one for perfect inequality.
The Gini Index can also be expressed as a percentage, with one representing 100% as perfectly unequal and zero for 0% as perfectly equal.
Inequality in Kenya
According to the World Bank, Kenya had a Gini Index of 36.2% in 2020 and 38.7% in 2021, with inequality increasing between the two years.[1]
Data from the Global Data Lab, on the other hand, showed that Kenya had a Gini Index of 26% in 2022, suggesting lower levels of inequality compared to the World Bank data.[2]
The chart below shows the Gini index by province in Kenya from the Global Data Lab. From the chart, inequalities have been declining steadily since the early 2000s. Nairobi Province had the lowest levels of inequality, followed by Central Kenya. The highest levels of inequality were in North Eastern Province.
The Kenya Demographic and Health Survey
The Kenya Demographic and Health Survey measured wealth inequality in 2022, with results showing that Kenya had a Gini coefficient of 28%. Wealth inequality was higher in rural areas with a Gini index of 24% compared to urban areas with a Gini index of 10%.[3]
By county, Nairobi County had the lowest levels of wealth inequality with a Gini Index of 9%, followed by Mombasa with a Gini index of 13%. Kiambu had a Gini index of 15% and Murang’a 19%.
The chart below shows the KDHS Gini index by county in 2022.
On the other hand, counties with the highest levels of wealth inequality were Turkana and Samburu, both with a Gini Index of 48%, followed by Tana River with a Gini index of 47%, Kilifi with an index of 43%, and Marsabit with a Gini index of 42%.
Kenya Continuous and Household Survey
The Kenya Continuous and Household Survey 2021 measured poverty and inequality in Kenya using the Gini coefficient. Unlike the KDHS, which measures wealth inequality, the KCHS looks at inequalities in consumption expenditures. The survey found that Kenya had a Gini index of 38.9% in 2021, compared to 35.8% in 2020.[4]
Rural areas in Kenya had a Gini index of 29.1%, while urban regions had a Gini Index of 37.3%, suggesting that inequality was higher in urban areas than in rural areas. Unlike the KDHS, which showed lower wealth inequalities in urban areas, the KCHS showed higher inequalities in consumption expenditures in urban areas.
Inequality was highest in Nairobi County, with a Gini index of 40.9%, followed by Turkana, with a Gini index of 39.9%.
Inequality was lowest in Vihiga, with a Gini index of 21.1%, followed by Makueni, with a Gini index of 22.6%. Bomet followed with a Gini Index of 23%.
See Also
- GDP per capita
- Undernutrition and wasting in Kenyan children
- Wealth and economic wellbeing in Kenya
- Overall Poverty Rates in Kenya
References
- World Bank. World Development Indicators
- Data retrieved from the Area Database of the Global Data Lab, https://globaldatalab.org/areadata/, version v4.2. Smits, J. GDL Area Database. Sub-national development indicators for research and policy making. GDL Working Paper 16-101 (2016).
- KNBS and ICF. 2023. Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2022: Volume 1. Nairobi, Kenya, and Rockville, Maryland, USA: KNBS and ICF. (p. 32)
- KNBS 2023. Kenya Poverty Report: Based on the 2021 Kenya Continuous Household Survey. (p. 51).
