Kenya on course to realise goals

from the Daily Nation

Story by DAVE OPIYO

Kenya is still on the course of achieving some of the set Millennium Development Goals by 2015 despite the effects of the post-election violence.

The country had made tremendous progress in its quest to achieving the millennium goals, Planning and National Development permanent secretary Edward Sambili said Wednesday.

The PS said statistics indicated that poverty levels in the country had by the end of 2006 been reduced from 56 per cent in 2000 to 46 per cent.

The Government hopes to further reduce poverty levels to at least 26 per cent by the year 2015, added Dr Sambili.

In the education sector, the net enrolment rate at primary level during this period has increased from 73.7 per cent in 2000 to 84.2 per cent with literacy rates for people between the ages of 15-24 years standing at 79.3 per cent.

The statistics further indicate that the number of children fully immunised increased from 57 per cent to 61 per cent between 2003 and 2006, with the number of pregnant women attending ante-natal clinics increasing from 42 per cent to 56 per cent during the same period.

The HIV and Aids prevalence rate also declined drastically during the same period from 13 per cent to six per cent.

“These are just some of the achievements we have managed to make during that short period,” said Dr Sambili.

He disclosed that the 2007 MDG status report was in its final stages of preparation and would be released to the public soon. He was speaking in Nairobi during the official launch of the Government and civil society partnership towards achieving MDGs in the country.

However, Dr Sambili conceded that the post-election violence interfered with the gains achieved. He cited the education and agricultural sectors as having been the hardest hit.

Said Dr Sambili: “Several schoolgoing children have been displaced, thereby dealing a huge blow to our quest to achieving universal primary education.”

He added: “And the displacement of people also meant that people cannot till their land and produce food. However, the country has experienced some relative peace in recent weeks and we hope it will continue to prevail.”