Kenya registered an overall improvement in governance over the past decade according to the Mo Ibrahim Index of African Governance.
Kenya scored 59.3 per cent in overall governance, to be ranked 13th in Africa.
Kenya achieved its highest category score in human development, at 67.1 per cent.
Its lowest category score was in participation and human rights, at 56.2 per cent.
The report ranked Mauritius top for the fifth year in a row.
The Mo Ibrahim Foundation supports good governance and leadership in Africa.
The four categories of governance as assessed by the Index are Safety & Rule of Law, Participation & Human Rights, Sustainable Economic Opportunity, and Human Development.
From a total of 53 African countries, Sudan was treated as a single country, Mauritius got the highest overall score. Somalia was at the bottom of the table, while South Africa had the highest regional average and the Central Africa had the lowest.
“The Mo Ibrahim Foundation defines governance as the provision of the political, social and economic public goods and services that every citizen has the right to expect from their state, and that a state has the responsibility to deliver to its citizens,” the report authors said.
This year’s Ibrahim Prize was awarded to former Cape Verde President Pedro Verona Pires.
The prize is awarded to a democratically elected former African head of state that has served their term in office within the limits set by the country’s constitution, has left office in the last three years, and has demonstrated excellence in office.
The winner of the award receives US$5 million over 10 years and $200,000 annually for life thereafter.