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Most, least populous tribes revealed in latest population figures

Friday, February 21st, 2020 20:17 | By
Kenya National Bureau of Statistics Director General Zachary Mwangi

The Kikuyu community is the most populous tribe in Kenya with 8.14 million people whereas little-known Konso community is the least populated with 1,299 persons. 

According to the Kenya Population and Housing Census reports, the Luhyia are ranked second with a population of 6.8m followed by Kalenjin (6.3m), Luo (5m), Kamba (4.6m), Somali (2.7m), Kisii (2.7m), Mijikenda (2.4m).

Meru ranks ninth with a population of 1.9 m and Maasai close the top-10 with a population of 1.1 million. 

The results show that at least 75 per cent of the Kenyan population is aged below 35 years. 

Members of the Christian religious faith comprises 85.5 per cent of the Kenyan population, with 33.4 per cent being protestants, 20.6 per cent Catholics and 20.4 per cent belonging to the Evangelical denomination.

The Muslim population stands at 11 per cent while Hindus and members of other religious faiths rank at 3.5 per cent.

Kenyans of working age (15 to 64 years) in 2019 rose to 27.2 million from 20.7 million in 2009. That age bracket represents 57.1 of the total population in 2019.

At least 6.4 million Kenyans revealed they practiced farming, with a majority saying they grew maize, beans and banana crops.

Livestock and poultry farmers revealed the number of domestic animals they kept. 

The population of chicken in Kenya is 38.8 million, goats is 28 million, sheep is 19.3 million, cattle is 15.8 million.

The 2019 Census data also indicated that 50.4 per cent of houses in Kenya are connected to the electrical grid, compared to 22.7 per cent in 2009.

Nineteen per cent of Kenyan households today use solar energy compared to 1.6 per cent in 2009.

Sixty one per cent of Kenyans own their own homes compared to 30.7 per cent, who live in rented houses.

Twenty million, six hundred thousand (20, 694, 315) Kenyans aged above three years own a mobile phone, representing 47.3 per cent of the total population.

Nairobi leads as the most-populated urban centre with a size of 4.4 million people while Mombasa follows at 1.2 million, Nakuru comes third with a population of 590, 000 Kenyans, Ruiru is fourth with 490, 000 and Eldoret is fifth with 476, 000.

Thirty-one per cent of Kenyans lived in urban settings in 2019 compared to 24.1 per cent in 2009.

The results were released on Friday by in the presence National tTreasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani in his office.

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