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Kenya increases spending on defence

Tuesday, April 10, 2012 — updated on December 24, 2020 - 3 min read

Kenya’s combat helicopters leave Tabda in Somalia to attack Al-Shaabab fighters on January 16. Military spending often diverts money from urgent social needs. File

Kenya increased spending on military equipment last year with the importation of eight war ships and six armoured vehicles, data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri) shows.

Kenya’s overall military spend rose to Sh52.2 billion ($594 million) in 2010 from Sh47.5 billion ($580 million) in 2009. The figures are adjusted for inflation and are based on a mean annual exchange rate of Sh88 to the dollar.

Uganda spent 14 per cent less in 2010 at $276 million from $315 million in 2009. Rwanda spent $77.2 million last year up from $75.3 million in 2009. Although data for Tanzania and Burundi was not available, Tanzania has recorded the lowest expenditure on defence as a percentage of GDP, averaging at 1.1 per cent for the last five years. Data from Sipri shows that Kenya spent an average of two per cent of her national income on defence compared to Uganda and Rwanda at 1.8 per cent and 1.4 per cent respectively. “Kenya’s growing spending is taking up a rising share of its GDP from 1.6 per cent in 2004 to two per cent in 2010,” commented the Society for International Development (Sid) in a report. Kenya’s inflation dropped to 15.6 per cent in March from 16.6 per cent, but the cost of living has remained high compared to 9.9 per cent at the same period last year with energy being the main driver of inflation.

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Kenya increases spending on defence

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