Horizon Kenya: Exploring trends set to shape the future in Kenya

The Horizon Kenya Trends Report was produced by Gatsby Africa, Msingi, and Kenya Markets Trust, seeking to provide a snapshot of some of the key trends impacting the region. It synthesises global, regional and country-level data and research, complemented by targeted intelligence-gathering from our strong networks in East Africa.

The report is composed of six chapters, themed around Politics, Society and the Future of Work, Technology, Finance, Trade and Environment. Each chapter offers a detailed analysis of its relative theme, examining its impact on Kenya’s future prospects for economic transformation and inclusive growth, as well as spotlighting how Covid-19 has impacted the trend in question.

Looking across all six chapters, it is apparent that Kenya faces several tests in its development trajectory. Among the factors which the report has identified as critical hurdles for its future are youth unemployment, an increasingly unreliable climate, regional and global trade dynamics, and substantially tighter government finances due to a serious debt position. But there are big opportunities too, with Kenya well-placed to benefit from regional and global trade dynamics, signs that devolution and information access are gradually bringing a greater focus on issues-based politics, and a young relatively educated population ready to work.