NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 3 – Kenya’s economy expanded 4.7 per cent in the third quarter of 2022, compared to a 9.3 per cent growth in the same quarter of 2021, the latest data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) shows.
The Quarterly Gross Domestic Product Report shows that most sectors posted decelerated growths between July and September owing to the significantly high growth rates recorded in the third quarter of 2021 that signified recovery from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The agriculture sector recorded a contraction of 0.6 per cent in the quarter under review compared to a growth of 0.6 per cent recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2021,” the KNBS report said.
According to the statistics agency, the slowdown in the performance of the agricultural sector was mainly attributed to unfavorable weather conditions that prevailed in the first three quarters of 2022.
Further, the manufacturing sector grew by 2.4 per cent in the third quarter of 2022 compared to a 10.2 per cent growth in the same period of 2021.
KNBS noted that the manufacturing sector’s growth was supported by increases in sugar production, the processing of coffee, and the assembly of motor vehicles.
The statistics agency said that the expansion of the transport sector was supported by increased activities in the railway, road and water transport segments.
“The number of passengers transported via Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) rose by 2.6 percent from 600,070 passengers in the third quarter of 2021 to 615,760 passengers in the period under review,” it said.
