Today, we join our colleagues across the Continent in commemorating the African statistics day. As we celebrate, we take cognizance of the many achievements we have made in statistics.
Kenya in particular has made great strides in the realization of importance of statistics as evidenced by the increased demand of statistical information from the public, private sector,development partners and the government. KNBS would like to acknowledge the very significant role that statistics play, because they are an essential tool in public administration. They are instruments that ensure transparency in decision-making and are a very important link between national and international data, based on international sound methodologies. Our statistical products are readily accessible in various platforms. The Bureau currently avails statistical products on the website, online data portals and in printed reports. These platforms ensure transparency, accountability and inclusiveness in decision-making. In the last one year, our key achievements in the production of statistical information include:
• Release of annual reports such as the Economic Survey Report, Kenya Facts and Figures and the Statistical Abstracts. In addition, the Leading Economic Indicators and the Consumer Price Indices are produced monthly. Other reports produced on a quarterly basis include the Producer Price Indices and the Gross Domestic Product.
• Utilization of sound methodologies and international best practices in production of statistics.
• Rebasing of National Accounts that have rated Kenya as a lower middle income country.
• Conducting socio-economic household based surveys such as the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS) and Kenya Urban Reproductive Health Initiative (KURHI).
• Production and dissemination of Socio-Economic Atlas of Kenya.
I encourage you to interact with our website (www.knbs.or.ke) for a comprehensive list of statistical releases and other open data portal links. We are grateful to the Government, Development Partners; all the users, producers and suppliers of statistics, for the continued support and collaboration.
In particular, we would like to single out households and operators of various establishments who usually respond to the various questionnaires administered to them by the Bureau. The Bureau appreciates the role played by the media in disseminating statistical information.