Kenya to 2030 and beyond
This report explores Kenya’s recent development trajectory and future challenges.
Kenya’s future offers a wealth of opportunities, as well as some significant challenges. The country is a continental leader in information and communications technology and has relatively well-developed health and education systems. Despite average incomes in the country being at the very low end of the World Bank lower-middle-income country threshold, Kenya has relatively good outcomes on a number of human development indicators. But Kenya also suffers from a significant infrastructure deficit, and a series of corruption scandals cast a long shadow over development prospects in the country. Although Kenya scores high on a number of governance measures, access to basic services is still among the lowest of any lower-middle income country.
About the authors
Dr Jakkie Cilliers is the founder of the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), chairman of the ISS Board of Trustees and head of African Futures and Innovation at ISS Pretoria. He is an Extraordinary Professor in the Centre of Human Rights and the Department of Political Sciences, Faculty Humanities at the University of Pretoria and a well-known author and analyst.
Zachary Donnenfeld is a senior researcher with the African Futures and Innovation programme and has worked at the ISS since 2015. Before that, Zach worked at the Frederick S. Pardee Center for International Futures, and the Environment Food and Conflict Laboratory at the University of Denver.
Stellah Kwasi is a researcher in the African Futures and Innovation programme at ISS, Pretoria. Before joining the ISS she was a research affiliate at the Frederick S. Pardee Center of International Futures at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies, University of Denver, Colorado.
Sahil SR Shah is the Project Lead of the Kenya Business Guide. Prior to this he worked as a research analyst based out of the Strathmore Business School supporting numerous client projects across East Africa on the areas of strategy, private sector development, governance and political economy.
Lily Welborn is a researcher with the African Futures and Innovation programme. Before joining the ISS, Lily worked at the Frederick S. Pardee Center for International Futures, conducting forecasts on human security issues and writing reports on development trends and transnational crime.
Pictures: Daniel Dickinson/EC/ECHO, Frode Bjorshol/Flickr, Neil Palmer/CIAT, and Ninara/Flickr
