OFFICE OF THE RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE |
RESTRICTED |
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OF THE UNDP |
UNDP/RR/KEN.REV.13 |
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KENYA |
JANUARY, 2003 |
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ENGLISH |
REPORT ON LIVING CONDITIONS
IN KENYA
This edition was prepared in January 2003 by the Resident Representative in Kenya and supercedes the previous one of April 2001 (UNDP/RR/KEN/REV.12)
The Resident Representative will be glad to answer any queries international personnel may wish to make on living conditions or any other aspect of their forthcoming assignment in Kenya.
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UNDP Office mailing address: |
United Nations Development Programme P.O. Box 30218 Nairobi, Kenya. |
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Fax No.: |
(254 2) 624489/90/92 |
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Email: |
Fo.ken@undp.org, Registry@undpken.org |
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Street Address: |
Office of the Resident Representative in Kenya United Nations Development Programme UNON Complex, Block ‘Q’, 3rd Floor Room 307 Gigiri, Nairobi, Kenya. |
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Telephone Numbers: |
(254 2) 621234 |
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Direct Lines: |
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Resident Representative |
(254 2) 624465 |
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Deputy Resident Representative (Programme) |
(254 2) 624467 |
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Deputy Resident Representative (Operations) |
(254 2) 624440 |
NOTES:
1. This report was prepared for information purposes only and does not commit Organizations and Programmes of the United Nations System in any way.
2. The information in the Report is
subject to change at short notice.
Although corrigenda and addenda are issued as necessary,
international personnel are urged to check before departure the current
government rules and regulations concerning currency control, customs, etc., as
well as the rates (e.g. rents, hotels) which are susceptible to variations.
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PAGE |
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TABLE OF CONTENTS |
2 – 3 |
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1. |
INTRODUCTION TO THE COUNTRY |
4 |
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Geographic Situation |
4 |
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Human Geography |
5 |
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Religion |
6 |
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History, Politics and Administration |
6 |
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2. |
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS |
7 |
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Overview |
7 |
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International Organisation and Bilateral Mission Activities |
11 |
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3. |
TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS |
11 |
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Travel to the Country |
11 |
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Visa Requirements |
12 |
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Referred Visas |
12 |
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Visa Fees |
13 |
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Travel in the Country |
14 |
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Personal/Gen. Security |
14 |
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Local Transport |
15 |
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Private Automobiles |
16 |
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Mail Services |
17 |
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Telephone and Telegraph Services |
18 |
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4. |
CURRENCY
CONTROLS, WEIGHTS AND MEASURES |
18 |
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Currency |
18 |
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Exchange Controls and Banking Facilities |
18 |
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Customs Regulations |
19 |
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Packing and Shipping of Goods |
19 |
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Other Controls |
20 |
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Local Weights and Measures |
21 |
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5. |
HOUSING |
21 |
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Hotels and Lodging |
21 |
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6. |
HEALTH |
25 |
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Immunization Requirements |
25 |
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Health Conditions |
26 |
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Medical Facilities |
26 |
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Ambulance Services |
27 |
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7. |
FOOD AND CLOTHING |
28 |
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Food |
28 |
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Restaurants |
28 |
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Clothing |
28 |
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Miscellaneous |
29 |
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8. |
EDUCATION |
29 |
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Primary and Secondary |
30 |
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Other International Schools |
32 |
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Nursery, Kindergarten and Lower Primary |
34 |
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9. |
OFFICE ACCOMMODATION AND SERVICES |
34 |
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Accommodation |
34 |
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10. |
SOCIAL LIFE AND RECREATION |
35 |
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National and Public Holidays |
35 |
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Social Life |
35 |
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Entertainment |
37 |
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TV and Radio |
37 |
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Libraries |
38 |
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Outdoor Pastimes |
38 |
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Historic Sites |
39 |
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Vacation Trips |
40 |
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Photography |
41 |
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11. |
APPENDIX |
42 |
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Bibliography |
42 |
1. Introduction to Kenya
Kenya is located
on the East Coast of Africa, with the Equator running almost straight through
the middle of the country. Kenya shares borders with Somalia to the East,
Uganda to the West, Tanzania to the South and Ethiopia to the North and Sudan
to the Northwest. The country’s area is
582,644 sq. km. It has a 480 km long coastline with the
Indian Ocean.
The country has
five main eco-climatic zones, which are:-
The
low-lying arid and semi–arid lands of the North and North Eastern province,
which cover nearly 2/3 of the country. This is a hot and dry area with scant water
supplies. The nomadic Somalia, Borana,
Galla, Turkana, Rendille and Garba peoples inhabit the area.
The
Coastal Belt runs along the Indian Ocean from the Kenya-Tanzania border to the
Somali border. This zone receives rain
twice a year from the Northeasterly monsoon rains. Coconut, cashew nuts, sugar cane, sisal, bananas and pineapples
are grown here as cash crops.
The
Nyika Plateau (dry wilderness) occupies the area between the coastal belt and
the Central Highlands. It receives low
rainfall. Vegetation consists of short grass with scattered acacia trees. This zone supports most of Kenya’s wildlife.
The
fourth and most productive zone is the Central Highlands East and West of Rift
Valley – a raised volcanic block split from north to south by the Great Rift
Valley. Here we find Mt. Kenya, a giant extinct volcano rising to
5199 metres above sea level. Next to
Mt. Kenya are the Aberdare Range and
Kinangop. This area receives adequate
rainfall and has rich volcanic soils making it one of the richest agricultural
lands in the world. In this region
coffee, tea, pyrethrum, and flowers are grown, and animal farming
practised. Kenya is a major exporter of
coffee, tea and flowers to Europe.
The
Lake Basin, on the shores of Lake Victoria, is hot and moist and receives heavy
rain from the Lake. Its vegetation is mainly
savannah woodland.
The country’s
altitude ranges from sea level to 5199 metres.
Thus, the climate varies greatly from the humid temperatures at the
Coast to the often cold and wet regions of Aberdares, Cherengani, Mt. Elgon and the freezing temperatures at the
top of Mt. Kenya.
Two rainfall
patterns are evident across most parts of the country. From March to May is the season of the
so-called "long rains" while the period from October to December is
the "short rains" season.
Other months are hot and dry in the lowlands and warm to chilly in the
highlands.
Human
Geography
Provisional
results of the 1999 census places the country’s population at 28.68 million
people. The table below provides the
distribution of the population by province and average intercensal growth
rate. The figures indicate that the
population has increased from 21.4 million to 28.7 million from 1989 to
1999. This represents a growth rate of
2.9 percent between 1989 and 1999. The
life expectancy for males was estimated at 57.5 while that for females was 61.4
in 1989. Since the advent of the
HIV/Aids pandemic, life expectancy for males is estimated at 54.1 for males and
55.3 for females for the period 1995 – 2000.
In the years 2000 – 2005 life expectancy for females is expected to be
at 53.4 and males at 52.8. The infant
mortality rate in 1989 was estimated at 63/1000. It was estimated at 120/1000 in 2000.
The highest
growth rate of 9.5 per cent was recorded in North Eastern province followed by
Nairobi province with a growth rate of 4.8 per cent. The lowest growth rate (1.7%) was recorded in Central province
followed by Eastern and Nyanza provinces whose population grew at a rate of 2.1
per cent and 2.3 per cent respectively.
The growth rate for North Eastern Province is inflated due to the influx
of refugees into the province. A
comparison with the trends pertaining to the 1979 - 1989 intercensal period
indicates that the population growth rate has been on the decline in all
provinces except in North Eastern and Nairobi provinces.
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Province |
Population Size in '000 |
Intercensal Growth Rate
(%) |
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1989 |
1999 |
1979/89 |
1989/99 |
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Nairobi |
1,325 |
2,137 |
4.7 |
4.8 |
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Central |
3,111 |
3,705 |
2.8 |
1.7 |
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Coast |
1,826 |
2,491 |
3.1 |
3.1 |
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Eastern |
3,769 |
4,643 |
3.3 |
2.1 |
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N. Eastern |
371 |
961 |
-0.1 |
9.5 |
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Nyanza |
3,507 |
4,397 |
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