Characteristics Of Out-Migrants From Nyeri, Murang’a And Kiambu Counties In Kenya

Abstract

Internal migration is an important aspect of human mobility which defines the magnitude and dynamics of spatial distribution of population, especially workers, in a country over time. The characteristics and patterns of a country‟s internal migration are vital indicators of the pace and process of its development. Given that migrants are key agents of change in both their home and host communities, a systematic analysis of their main characteristics is imperative. This study attempted to profile out-migrants characteristics using Kenya Census data from 1999 and 2009 in three counties of Nyeri, Murang‟a and Kiambu. The study sought to answer the following research questions.: I) What are the key demographic and socio-economic characteristics of out-migrants from Nyeri, Murang‟a and Kiambu counties in 1999. II) What are the key demographic and socio-economic characteristics of out-migrants from Nyeri, Murang‟a and Kiambu counties in 2009. A total of 2,814,070 and 3,842,606 records from the 1999 and 2009 census respectively were analyzed. Further, 272,964 and 191,616 was representative of the out-migrants from Nyeri, Murang‟a and Kiambu in 1999 and 2009 respectively. In 2009, unlike in 1999 where males held a slight likelihood of out- migration compared to females, females had an approximately 1.2 higher odd of out-migrating than males. In 1999 and 2009 all age groups showed significant likelihoods of out-migrating: those who were 25-35 old had a 0.6 higher odd of out-migrating. Respondents aged between 18-24 and 36-50 years had a 0.4 and 0.5 odd of out-migrating compared to those aged between 51-70 years for 1999 while in 2009 those who were 25-25 years old had a 0.57 higher odd of out-migrating. Respondents between 18-24 years and 36-50 years had a 0.54 and 0.41 higher odd of out-migrating compared to those aged between 51-70 years. For both 1999 and 2009 those who had some form of education showed a higher likelihood to out-migrate. In 1999 the married respondents in monogamous relationships had a 1.74 higher likelihood of out-migrating while widowed respondents had a 1.25 fold higher chance of out-migrating. In addition respondents who had never been married prior to the census are 1.1 times more likely to out-migrate. Similarly in 2009, married respondents in monogamous relationships had a 0.77 higher odd of out-migrating while those in polygamous relationships had a 0.79 odd likelihood of out-migrating. However respondents who had never been married had a 1.0 higher likelihood of out-migrating. For both 1999 and 2009, respondents in paid employnment and those in unemploynment had a higher odd of out-migrating. The study results show that age, sex, marital status, level of education and occupation are all statistically related to out-migration. More emphasis should be put in engaging out-migrants from Nyeri, Muranga and Kiambu in county based intiatives to control out-migration.