Uhuru Kenyatta launches Kenya’s report on equality
President Uhuru Kenyatta (centre) and other guests during the launch of Kenya’s report on equality at State House, Nairobi, on March 18, 2022.
President Uhuru Kenyatta on Friday evening launched a seminal report detailing Kenya’s progress towards entrenching equality.
The report titled “Leave no one behind. Peace and Conflict Analysis: Through the eyes of those at risk of being left behind” was prepared by the United Nations office in Kenya in partnership with the Kenyan government.
Speaking at State House, Nairobi, during the virtual launch of the report, President Kenyatta said Kenya has made significant steps towards entrenching equality through the adoption of the Constitution of Kenya 2010.
“Since adoption of the Constitution of Kenya 2010, we have made good progress in reducing inequality. Indeed, the 2020 Kenya National Bureau of Statistics report confirms this position.
Equal protection
“Equality is enshrined in the Constitution of Kenya 2010 which recognises every person is equal before the law and has the right to equal protection and equal benefit of the law,” President Kenyatta said.
President Kenyatta added that the Constitution of Kenya 2010 embedded devolution which aims to bring people closer to Government, enabled them to participate more directly in the development process and aligned government response to local needs and aspirations.
The report, which builds on the clarion call by the UN Secretary General who identified 12 priority actions areas focused on “leaving no one behind” in his address to the General Assembly on 10th September last year, provides a more granular picture of inclusion especially for those at risk of being left behind.
The report further identifies communities and groups in Kenya currently “at risk of being left behind” by the development process.
The Head of State said the government has been proactive in allocating more resources to counties that still lag behind in development as part of its efforts to boost equality.
“But this remains work in progress. This is why the Government has been proactive in targeting additional resources to those parts of the country still lagging behind in development,” President Kenyatta said.
President Kenyatta added that his administration has given priority to strengthening the socio-economic fabric through expansion of education and health facilities as well as improvement of infrastructure across the country.
The President said the notion of “leaving no one behind” is the cardinal principle underpinning the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda – an agenda whose development and adoption Kenya is proud and distinctly privileged to have led.
Speaking during the event, UN Deputy Secretary General and Chair of the UN Sustainable Development Group Amina Mohammed said her organisation will continue to work closely with member states to eradicate poverty, discrimination and exclusion.
Desired goals
On his part, UN Resident Coordinator Dr Stephen Jackson commended Kenya for initiating the agenda of ‘leaving no one behind’ noting that all stakeholders need to continue working as a team for the desired goals to be achieved.
He said the report, which was a joint effort involving UN agencies in Kenya, the University of Nairobi, Ministry of Interior, civil societies and State House, focused on geographical location, socio-economic status, discrimination, governance and vulnerability to shocks.
“So what we tried to do was to crowd in data on all these different factors, especially on socio-economy, geographical location and access to governance,” said Dr Jackson.
Also present at the event were Head of Public Service Dr Joseph Kinyua, National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani and Swedish Ambassador to Kenya Caroline Vicini among other senior Government and UN officials.
