A new report by the World Bank has revealed that the number of people living in extreme poverty is on the rise in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The data was derived from the current estimate of global poverty done in 2015/2016 that has replaced the last study which was done in 2005/2006.
According to the report, the number of extremely poor people globally has fallen from 1.9 billion in 1990 to about 736 million in 2015/ 2016 but more than half of the extremely poor population; who live on less than Ksh. 92 ($ 1.90) a day, reside in Africa.
Forecasts also indicate that by 2030, nearly 9 in 10 extremely poor people will live in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Among East African nations, 17.4 million Kenyans live on less than Ksh.92 in a day which is about 100 shillings below the international poverty line set. In Uganda, the poverty level is even worse with 17.3 million people living on less than Ksh. 65.14 in a day. Tanzania, on the other hand, seems to be worst hit by poverty with 20.7 million individuals surviving on less than Ksh. 54.98 a day.
Even though the population of Kenyans living in poverty dropped from 21.19 million individuals in 2005, the current proportion of 17.3 million constitutes 36.8 percent of the total Kenyan populous. From the report, only about 8.8 million Kenyans can comfortably spend Ksh. 267.5 in a day. These few individuals are said to fit into the Upper Middle Income Class Poverty line.
Furthermore, the Bank’s Kenya Poverty and Equity Brief revealed that only 18.4 million Kenyans can spend Ksh. 155.7 in a day; they have been categorized into the lower middle income class poverty line category.
In Tanzania and Uganda only 17.9 million and 6.5 million citizens can spare Ksh. 159.15 and Ksh. 188.57 in a day respectively.
The report further classified 23.9 million of Tanzania’s population under the Lower Middle Income class for their ability to spend Sh92.59 a day compared to Uganda’s 13.9 million people that can spend Sh109.71 per day.
The poverty levels were attributed to low levels of Education, food insecurity and unavailability of water.
