Kenya’s Gross Domestic Product registered a 10.1 percent growth in Quarter 2 2021, up from 4.1 percent recorded in 2020.
According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), the trend was aided by the continuous growth in Education, Transportation, and ICT sectors that recorded 67.6, 16.9, and 25.2 percent respectively.
The easing of Covid-19 containment measures that facilitated the gradual resumption of economic activities in the country was a great drive towards the recent growth.
“Economic growth decelerated in the first quarter of 2021 to 0.7 percent compared to 4.4 percent in the corresponding quarter of 2020, mainly owing to the onset of Covid-19 pandemic in the country in March 2020,” said KNBS.
The relaxation of the Covid-19 containment measures saw an increase in the accommodation and food service activities which grew by 9.1 percent in Q2 2021 compared to a 56.8 percent contraction in Q2 2020.
Financial and insurance activities accelerated in the second quarter of 2021 to grow by 9.9 percent compared to a growth of 4.4 percent in the same period of 2020.
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The transportation and storage sector also grew by 16.9 percent. This was facilitated by a 25.9 percent increase in freight movements through Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) and high visitor arrivals which rose from 527 in the second quarter of 2020 to 113,307 in the second quarter of 2021.
“Similarly, passenger transport through SGR increased from 6,363 passengers in Q2 2020 to 304,445 passengers in Q2 2021. At the same time, Consumption of light diesel expanded by 27.4 percent compared to 22.4 percent in the second quarter of 2020,” read a part of the report.
The construction sector, however, reported slower growth of 6.5 percent from 8.2 percent growth in Q2 2020.
The agriculture, forestry, and fishing activities also registered a drop in the first and second quarters of 2021 to 0.9 percent from 4.9 percent in 2020.