AFFIRMATIVE ACTION, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC INCLUSION IMPACT FROM THE ECONOMIC SURVEY 2026

 

The Economic Survey 2026,which was recently released in April 2026 by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) covered the 2025 data calendar.

The Survey report highlights, clear gains in social, affirmative, and economic inclusion. For instance, health access improved with new members up to 21.0 million registering with Social Health Authority (SHA) in 2024/2025 from 7.9 to 8 million by the time of transition from National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).

Birth and death registration completeness improved to 71.0 % and 46.8% respectively. Total reported disease cases declined to 1.20 million.

Additionally,there were financial access programmes such as Women Enterprise Fund (WEF), Uwezo Fund, National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF), Youth Enterprise Development Fund (YEDF).

The report also gives a positive update on easy access to Government Procurement Opportunities (AGPO),

National Service and Youth Skills Development Programme run by National Government and various social protection programmes, including cash transfers to Orphans and Vulnerable Children (CT-OVC) Older Persons (CTOP) and persons with severe Disabilities (CT-PWSD) alongside hunger Safety Net Programmes (HSNP).

These efforts collectively contributed to improved livelihoods and more balanced development outcomes in performance in YEDF with beneficiaries increasing from 16,918 in 2024/25 to 24,363 and disbursement rose from Ksh 410.4 million to Ksh 591.0 million over the same period.

Consequently, in 2025 women held 46.2 % of chief executive positions in constitutional commissions and independent offices and 30.6 % of top heads of Kenya' s diplomatic missions abroad. The overall proportion of women in all County Assemblies in 2025 was 34.0% compared to 31.3% and 23.6% in the National Assembly, respectively. In the magistrate courts about 6 in every 10 magistrates were women.

Looking at the education sector, there was an improvement in enrolment, with 3.121,4 thousand learners enrolling in pre-primary in 2025 from 2,914.4 thousand in 2024. Total enrollment in primary and junior schools rose from 11.2% to 11,935.7 thousand in 2025. Enrollment for the three grades in junior school under the CBE had 3,701.1 thousand learners. TVET institutions were not left out.Its enrollment also grew from 17.3% to 825,484 during the period under review.

The report findings make it clear that the inclusion gap isn’t urban against rural areas. It’s services against absence, where the state delivers in the education sector, health, and cash outcomes can't be ignored, because there is evidence to support.

It is good to note that affirmative action, social and economic inclusion isn’t charity. It’s Gross Domestic Profit (GDP).The National Social Security Fund contribution increased from Ksh 62.3 billion in 2024 to Ksh 84.0 billion in 2025. Pension scheme contributions increased tremendously from Ksh 263.5 billion in 2024 to 285.4 billion in 2025, with membership rising to 8.0 million and benefits paid reaching Ksh 136.8 billion, this was not just a mere win but real growth in the Kenyan economic landscape.