Why is Kenya’s census important?
Kenya is conducting yet another population count, which is expected to shift political boundaries and shape elections.
Over the weekend, more than 160,000 people were deployed across Kenya to collect data from its population of about 50 million.
But that process has proven to be difficult, since millions of Kenyans live in slums with no official address.
Millions more are nomadic herders who cross into neighbouring countries regularly.
There is a history of controversy in Kenya when it comes to censuses. That’s because Kenyan politics are often contested along tribal lines, and census data determines how state resources are allocated.
But in a country divided along ethnic and tribal lines, what does that mean?
Presenter: Hashem Ahelbarra
Guests:
Demas Kiprono – Lawyer and campaign manager at Amnesty International Kenya
Jonathan Offei-Ansah – Journalist and publisher of AfricaBriefing
Patrick Gathara – Writer and political analyst