With Kenya’s population projected to reach approximately 57.8 million by 2030, the government must implement effective health and education policies to address the increasing social and economic needs of the people.
The National Council for Population and Development (NCPD) emphasizes that changes in the population age structure directly impact population growth, as well as the production and consumption of resources.
“The age structural changes can enable the country to gain from the demographic transition, commonly referred to as the demographic dividend, if the right economic and social policies, particularly in education and health, are put in place and implemented,” NCPD said in a 2023 first sessional paper on population policy.’
The National Council for Population and Development (NCPD) reported a decline in the proportion of children below 15 years, while the proportions of youth, working-age individuals, women of reproductive age, and older persons have been increasing.
The NCPD highlighted that the elderly population, those aged 60 and above, is the fastest-growing segment in Kenya. Their numbers increased from 1,926,051 in 2009 to 2,740,555 in 2019, representing an approximate 42 percent increase over a decade.
“This rapid increase has implications for the country’s social protection measures since the official retirement age in Kenya is 60 years. Majority of the old Kenyans are women at 55 per cent of the total population,” the council said.
It added: “The main challenges faced by older persons are poor health, inadequate income security, and social protection violence, abuse, neglect and ageism. More than half of the elderly in the country live in absolute poverty, and are the poorest age group in the country.”
Between 2009 and 2019, the proportion of children below age 15 decreased in 43 counties, while the working-age population increased in 45 counties. The National Council for Population and Development (NCPD) noted that the proportion of the population in the 0-14 age group is an indicator of a country’s youthful demographic.
In 2019, children aged 0-14 in Kenya made up 39 percent of the total population, signifying that the country’s population remains youthful.
Counties with about half or more of their population in this age group include Mandera, West Pokot, Wajir, Samburu, and Narok. In contrast, less than one-third of the population in Embu, Kiambu, Nairobi, Nyeri, and Kirinyaga counties is below age 15.
Additionally, the NCPD found that in 2019, the working-age population in Kenya was estimated to be 57 percent of the total population, up from 54 percent in 2009, with men comprising the majority at 53 percent.
“Between 2009 and 2019, the proportion of youth (age 18-34) increased marginally from 28.7 to 29 per cent of the total population while that of women of reproductive age (15-49) increased from 48.3 to 50.4 per cent of the total female population.
As the number of women of reproductive age continues to increase the demand for reproductive health and related services will also increase,” the sessional paper read in part.
The National Council for Population and Development (NCPD) reported that approximately one million Kenyans, or 2.2 percent of the total population, are living with varying disabilities. Women represent 57 percent of this group, making them the majority compared to men. This population has faced significant barriers to improving their living standards.
Currently, only 1.2 percent of individuals with disabilities are formally employed in the public sector, falling short of the 5 percent target established by Section 13 of the Persons with Disabilities Act of 2003.
