Kenyans are having a time of their lives now more than ever, they are living longer, earning more and living their best lives.
This is according to the latest United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) index which portrays Kenyans earning more on average; living slightly longer and staying in school for more years.
Each Kenyan on average made Sh309,778 ($3,052) up from Sh298,004 ($2,096) in 2017, according to UNDP index report.
Kenyans are also now expected to live up to an average of 66.3 years, up from 65.9 last year and have an average of 6.6 years of schooling out of an expected 11.1 years, which is higher than the 4.6 target set by the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
As a result, the report which was published on Tuesday, shows that the country’s Human Development Index went up one notch from position 148 in 2017 to 147 last year.
It's not all merry though, despite the increase in average wealth, UNDP noted that Kenyans still have to deal with the rising levels of inequality that are concentrating wealth at the top, leaving behind huge swathes of the population that is struggling economically.
“In Kenya in 2015 the top 10 percent received 48 percent of national income, while the bottom 40 percent received nine percent,” the report said, painting a dire picture of the inequalities that divide the rich and the poor.
Last month, the Central Bank of Kenya, Governor, Dr. Patrick Njoroge, faulted the structure of Kenya’s economy for delivering economic growth without creating jobs or an increase in incomes.
The Governor who was named the 2019 Central Bank Governor of the Year for sub-Saharan Africa, said that households have not felt Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth, arguing that increased infrastructure spending has not spread wealth among working Kenyans.
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