Economy

Located at the heart of Kenya, Meru has a rich history dating back many centuries. The name of the region is derived from mieru – “quiet forests” – and was coined by the Masai people in reference to Meru’s forested regions of Imenti and Tigania.

A historic transition is under way in Kenya that could have profound implications for its economy: as part of the implementation of its 2010 constitution, the national government is devolving about a third of its powers and responsibilities to 47 newly created counties. The ultimate objective of the process is to usher in a more decentralised approach to public service...

As it is in so many other emerging markets, one of the main priorities for Kenya’s government is to tackle its large public sector wage bill. The public sector employs 681,000 people, which is roughly 32% of Kenya’s formal sector workforce of 2.1m, according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics.

Tax revenue is an area of growing focus in Kenya, with 2014 featuring new and increased levies, a new law covering value-added tax (VAT), enhanced compliance efforts, and strategies to move informal and unregulated activity into the formal and taxable economy. State revenue was 23.1% of GDP for both the 2011/12 and 2012/13 budgeting cycles. Tax revenues climbed, however...