Why Kenya’s strong economic growth is not matched by jobs

Jua kali artisans work on their metal products in Gikomba, Nairobi on March 3, 2021. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

Numbers, just like words, can be weaponised by politicians. Because numbers do not lie, political leaders have perfected the art of using them to cover up the truth.

One of the economic concepts that has been panel-beaten to fit a political narrative is that of gross domestic product (GDP), loosely defined as the monetary value of all finished products in an economy.