More needed to jump-start economy

Majority of Kenyans say 2019 was a tough year economically. They feel life was unbearable after the economy slumped forcing several companies to retrench thousands of workers. Other companies have issued profit warning. Figures from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics show that nearly all economic sectors reported slow growth while some were in the negative.

Apart from construction and tourism, other sectors posted a slowdown over the nine months to September 2019 compared to a similar period in 2018. Construction was driven by investments in infrastructure by the government as opposed to the real estate sector, which too suffered challenges including difficulties in accessing credit.