An Assessment of the Implementation of Sustainable Development and Poverty Eradication in Kenya (2015-2020)

Abstract

The post-2015 agenda adopted as the Sustainable Development Goals recognize poverty as a major development challenge globally. Poverty limits the capabilities of individuals to achieve other goals and thus forms a critical issue in human development. World governments adopted the goals and declared to achieve them by the set deadline of 2030. Kenya has its experience with poverty with high incidences of poverty in the urban and rural settings, curtailing inclusive growth and development. The internationally formulated goals presented a renewed framework for poverty eradication worldwide and in Kenya entrenched in interconnected goals. As a result, the implementation of the goals is critical to the realization of poverty eradication in Kenya. The main objective of this study was to assess the implementation of sustainable development and poverty eradication in Kenya (2015-2020). The specific objectives included: establishing the causes and nature of poverty in Kenya, examining the strategies undertaken to implement the goal on poverty eradication and determine the challenge faced in the implementation process. The study adopted the Capability approach which provides for a multidimensional approach for human development focusing on individual’s freedoms, functioning and capabilities. The study used both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis methods and purposive sampling. The study findings indicate of a pervasive nature of poverty in Kenya whose causes are found in socio-cultural, economic and political spheres. The study established that Kenya’s implementation of the goals are in the form of policies and programmes majorly focusing on the agricultural sector, social protection and the provision of basic services, and it is generally a national government affair with limited localized reporting and mainstreaming. The implementation of the goal is faced by various challenges such as financial constraints due to lack of a needs assessment and partnerships, political challenges in institutional incapacities and the existence of various economic and climatic shocks that derail the gains made in poverty eradication. The study concludes that proper understanding of the causes of poverty in Kenya will aid in the development of effective strategies to implement poverty eradication policies. Further, the study concludes that the implementation of the goals should be in line with national priorities, capacities and be targeted on specific areas that will be impactful.