About the Centre
Building the evidence base for inclusive Kenyan growth
The Centre for Economic Development is an independent policy research institution. We produce rigorous, evidence-led analysis of Kenya's structural economic challenges — and propose practical, politically grounded solutions.
Our mission
To translate Kenya's economic potential into broad-based, inclusive growth by producing policy analysis that is rigorous enough to be credible and accessible enough to be used.
Kenya has the foundations of a dynamic economy: a young and growing population, a diversifying private sector, a tradition of entrepreneurship, and a strategic position in East Africa. Yet the gains from growth have been unevenly distributed, structural unemployment remains high, and public investment has been crowded out by a rising debt burden.
The Centre exists because good policy requires good analysis — and good analysis requires independence, rigour, and a willingness to engage with complexity. We do not advocate for a political party or a donor agenda. We follow the evidence.
The case for inclusive growth
Inclusive growth is not a distributional preference — it is an economic necessity. The evidence from Kenya and comparable economies is clear.
Demand-side constraints
An economy in which the majority of the population is excluded from formal employment and asset ownership cannot sustain the domestic demand needed for private sector growth. Inclusive growth expands the market.
Human capital returns
Kenya's demographic dividend — a young, growing workforce — becomes a liability rather than an asset if that workforce is unemployed or underemployed. Investment in skills, health, and housing is investment in productive capacity.
Political stability
Sustained economic development requires stable institutions and social cohesion. Extreme inequality and exclusion are among the most reliable predictors of political instability, which in turn deters investment and disrupts growth.
Fiscal sustainability
A broader formal economy generates more tax revenue, reducing dependence on external borrowing and creating the fiscal space for public investment. Inclusion is a precondition for fiscal sustainability, not a cost of it.
Our principles
Independence
The Centre does not accept funding that comes with conditions on conclusions. Our analysis is not for sale. We publish findings that challenge prevailing policy positions when the evidence supports it.
Rigour
We distinguish between what the evidence shows, what it suggests, and what remains uncertain. We grade our evidence and are explicit about the limits of our analysis.
Accessibility
Policy analysis that cannot be understood by the people it affects is not useful. We write for informed non-specialists — civil servants, legislators, journalists, and engaged citizens — not only for academics.
Cross-disciplinary practice
Economic policy challenges are not purely economic. Housing requires urban planning and engineering. Labour markets require legal analysis. Agriculture requires agronomy. We actively seek contributors from outside economics.
Open access
All Centre publications are freely available without registration or fee. Public policy analysis is a public good.
Political realism
Technically sound policies fail when they ignore implementation constraints. We assess the political economy of every proposed action — who gains, who loses, and what the realistic pathway to adoption is.
Governance
The Centre is governed by an independent advisory board drawn from economics, law, engineering, and public administration. The board sets the Centre's research agenda, reviews publications before release, and ensures that the Centre's independence is maintained. Board members serve in a personal capacity and do not represent their employers or institutions.
The Centre's advisory board is currently being constituted. We will publish board membership on this page when appointments are confirmed.
Work with us
The Centre is built on the contributions of professionals who bring disciplinary depth to Kenya's policy challenges. We welcome analysis from economists, lawyers, engineers, urban planners, agronomists, and others with relevant expertise.
Contribute analysis