The availability, dissemination and utilization of information of population in Kenya with special response to the period 1946-1977

Abstract

The aim objective of this study is to examine and to analyse the sources of population information in Kenya and to rationalise, assist and make or the state of t s information. The research activity therefore revolved around critical evaluation and analysis of a wide variety of information sources that comprise the fundamental framework for an information system. The roles played by a variety of institutional source were examined before an analysis was made of the literary source available in Kenya. The examination and analysis o£ these sources traversed several historical phases, that is from the pre-colonial period to the end of 1977. A number of findings have emerged from this study Firstly, with regards to the pre-independence period, the sources of population information, be the y institutional or literary, were difficult to trace. It as not until the first national population census taken in 1948 that there was base on which demographic studies could be carried out scientifically regarding the Kenya population.

Secondly, improvement on the status of population information in Kenya during the independence period is noticed mainly due to the work of the Demographic Unit of the Central bureau of Statistics in the Ministry of finance and Planning. Thirdly Kenya has family planning policy but does not appear to have an explicit population policy which accommodates all aspects of population. Fourthly, Kenya does not have an information policy to guide the production organisation, dissemination and utilization of information in general, or of population information in particular. The general conclusion arising from these observations therefore is that not enough emphasis has been given to the need to use population as a tool for national planning. The nature of the population information used in the planning or decision making process s, where such use is made, requires to be further improved by making this information more comprehensive and accurate. This study therefore recommends that a National Demographic Centre be established. This centre should be given adequate powers to collect population information all possible sources, and be well - supported financially to apply modern techniques of collection, correlation, analysis and publication of such information.

It is further recommended that a coordinating agency in the field of information transfer should be established and be given the mandate and the powers to coordinate all existing units of the information service network and to standardize the respective practices. The agency should therefore achieve an improved state of information in all fields, including the population field