President Uhuru Kenyatta during cabinet announcement in 2013.[Photo/PSCU]
Coalitions of non-profit organisations have urged the government and business leaders to fight against inequality. This comes even as confederation of non-governmental organisation Oxfam released a report indicating the gap between the richest and poorest has reached extreme levels in the country.
With 7,500 new millionaires set to be created over the next decade, Oxfam argues that only a minority of wealthy individuals and investors are creaming off the yields of economic growth.
“While the number of millionaires is growing, millions of people still live in complete destitution,” read the report in part. Speaking under the auspices of Fight Inequality Alliance (FIA), Njoki Njehu of the Daughters of Mumbi Global Resource Centre (DoM) urged the government to play a proactive role in bridging the gap between the rich and the poor.
She said FIA has organised an event dubbed Usawa Festival in that pushes for the government to create conducive environment for both the rich and poor to thrive.
Oxfam Head of Tax Justice Project Joy Ndubai said the government can embark on a new path towards prosperity by developing a national action plan to reduce inequalities.
“The government should ensure that national income and consumption data is regularly updated and made publicly available to ensure that inequality trends can be monitored,” she said.