Compilations of official statistics in Kenya: Assessing their adequacy for urban policy and governance

Abstract

Statistics are useful indicators that may inform urban development and management decisions. This article reviews production of official statistics in Kenya to bring up their implications for urban policy and governance. It approaches the issue from the point of view that official statistics are always inadequate in developing countries. In this context it considers the compilations of urban statistics mainly in the annual statistical digest and finds that there were useful urban statistics compilations that could be improved for governance prior to the implementation of the 2010 Constitution. However, after the implementation of the 2010 constitution, urban statistics have been abandoned for devolved governance units in terms of counties. Therefore, it recommends the reinstatement and improvement of urban statistics in the annual digest.