Kenya acquired lower middle income country status after re-basing in 2014

Kenya acquired a lower middle income country status after re-basing in September 2014, Lazarus Amayo, Kenya’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom (UK) has said.

Amayo said the country had created a path of political governance guided by laws and institutions.

He said he was proud of Kenya's tremendous progress especially in its economic, social and political pillars.

Speaking in London after hosting UK Government officials led by Rory Stewart, Minister of State for International Development and Africa at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, he urged President Uhuru Kenyatta to continue implementing policies that will continue to transform Kenya.

"We are headed to an upper middle-income country providing a high quality life to all its citizens in a clean and secure environment," said Amayo.

He said Kenya had made notable progress in achieving the aspirations of Kenyan people.

We have built a strong foundation for economic take-off as recognised by the World Bank which has placed Kenya among the countries with the fastest improving business environment in the world. In the last three years, we have moved 56 places in the World Bank’s ease of doing business index, from 136th to 80th. Infrastructure and health sectors are being transformed," he said.

In 2015, Kenyan exports amounted to Sh40.67 billion while imports stood at Sh42.97 billion.

Currently, there are about 210 British investment companies based in Kenya, valued at close to Sh400billion.

Rory Stewart said UK would support Kenya because of its deep and intimate historical relationships.

The UK minister added Kenya was an extraordinary country with a robust private sector with brilliant entrepreneurial ideas.