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Kenya: Kenya's Q1 2016 GDP growth improves, buoyed by tourism

2016/07/04

Kenya ‘s economy expanded by 5.9 % in the initial quarter of 2016 compared to 5 % in the same period last year.

According to the country’s bureau of statistics, the increase is attributed to a rebound in the tourism sector.

Tourism is a key foreign exchange earner but has plunged in recent years following a spate of security incidents that kept visitors away from the country.

Data from the statistics office further indicated that all sectors of the economy recorded a healthy performance during the quarter in review.

However, inflation rose to average at 7.0 % during the quarter compared to 5.8 % in the same quarter last year.

The current increase level is only second to that recorded in the initial quarter of 2011, at the same time as the economy grew by 7.6 %.

The office was quick to note that the fall in international oil prices continued to support development in the country’s current account deficit.

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