Socio-economic
inequality relates to disparities in both economic and social resources, linked
to social class and includes earnings, income, education and health that
contribute to a sense of wellbeing. Typically measures of socio-economic incorporate
such indicators as income, education, occupation, or health status.
Kenya’s widening socio-economic inequality
is making headlines again. A recent report, – Exploring Kenya’s Inequality:
Pulling apart or pooling together?, suggests that the widening well-being gap
among individuals and communities is a worrying scorecard, especially after 50
years of successive governments run by ourselves.
The richest 10 percent of Kenya’s households
spent on average 14.3 times more than the poorest 10 percent of households in
2011. Similarly, 10 percent of Kenya’s wealthiest households control 42 percent
of the total income, while the poorest 10 control just 1 percent. Over 64
percent of Kenya’s population live on spend Ksh. 7200 (USD 83) or less per
month. The gap in educational attainment between middle income and poor Kenyan
children is about 40-60 percent wider than it was about three decades ago. 82
percent of the population in Turkana Country is illiterate, compared to just 11
percent in Nairobi County.
Ours is a tale
of three countries: the obscenely rich country; the gasping middle-income
country, teetering on the precipice; and, the miserably poor country. Unchecked, socio-economic inequality has a
strong negative welfare impact and poses threats to future well-being and
social cohesion. In their book, The Spirit Level: Why Equality is Better for
Everyone, Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett argue that inequality can
result in non-income disparities in health and education outcomes, further
undermining public investment in poverty reduction.
The drivers of socio-economic inequality in
Kenya, in my view are: educational inequality,; blind and unbridled faith in
trickle-down economics, especially during the Kibaki administration, historical
and politically motivated bias in allocation of public resources, failure to
develop the agricultural sector, which employs a majority of the poor.
Even
the Pope is suspicious of trickle-down economics. In his Apostolic Exhortation
released on November 26 2013, the Pope Francis writes; “Some people continue to defend trickle-down theories,
which assume that economic growth, encouraged by a free market, will inevitably
succeed in bringing about greater justice and inclusiveness in the world”.
I dare say
that Kenya’s wealthy and privileged classes are the perpetrators in chief of
socio-economic inequality. Over the decades, these classes have been refused to
stand up for the justice and fairness. They remind of the Jesus’ parable of the
Good Samaritan. Like the priest the privileged classes have seen the poor,
“stripped of their raiment, and wounded”, but passed by on the other side.
Here is how
the privileged classes pass by on the other side everyday; when public schools
decay, they send their kids to expensive private schools, when public health
care collapses, they seek healing in private hospitals, when the roads are
broken and dangerous, they ride in SUVs and take airplanes to travel between
our cities, when the neighborhood is unsafe they build high perimeter walls and
hire private security, they disdain honesty and hard work embrace greed and
corruption. In the minds and hearts of Kenya’s wealthy, prosperity is the
privilege of the few. Kenya’s privileged classes have become so atomized and
disdainful of a life centred on values, shared prosperity and community.
Moreover, our
political and religious institutions have failed to provide a shared vision
capable of inspiring of inspiring us to create a just and fair society. I think
in his Apostolic Exhortation last week Pope Francis addressed Kenya’s
privileged classes when he said “Whenever our interior life becomes caught up
in its own interests and concerns, there is no longer room for others, no place
for the poor”.
Socio-economic inequality is not an
inescapable consequence of economic growth. Decline in inequality in Brazil has
occurred alongside economic growth. In particular, the spread of conditional cash transfer programmes such
as Brazil’s Bolsa Familia programme, under which substantial transfers are made
to poor households provided children attend school and participate in health
programmes, have played an important role in this pro-poor redistribution.
I believe there is considerable scope for progressive policy to successfully
undermine the foundation of Kenya’s socio-economic inequality.
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