Share of people practicing open defecation in Kenya
Kenya: Share of people practicing open defecation was 5.9% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Share of people practicing open defecation in Kenya, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of people practicing open defecation in Kenya is 5.9%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 6.7% on the previous year and down 42.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of people practicing open defecation in Kenya peaked at 16.9% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 5.9%, in 2024.
That places Kenya 46th out of 232 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Share of people practicing open defecation in Kenya, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 16.9% | — |
| 2001 | 16.4% | -2.9% |
| 2002 | 16.0% | -3.0% |
| 2003 | 15.5% | -3.0% |
| 2004 | 15.0% | -3.1% |
| 2005 | 14.5% | -3.2% |
| 2006 | 14.0% | -3.3% |
| 2007 | 13.6% | -3.4% |
| 2008 | 13.1% | -3.5% |
| 2009 | 12.6% | -3.6% |
| 2010 | 12.2% | -3.7% |
| 2011 | 11.7% | -3.8% |
| 2012 | 11.2% | -3.9% |
| 2013 | 10.8% | -4.1% |
| 2014 | 10.3% | -4.2% |
| 2015 | 9.9% | -4.4% |
| 2016 | 9.4% | -4.6% |
| 2017 | 9.0% | -4.8% |
| 2018 | 8.5% | -5.0% |
| 2019 | 8.1% | -5.2% |
| 2020 | 7.6% | -5.4% |
| 2021 | 7.2% | -5.7% |
| 2022 | 6.8% | -6.0% |
| 2023 | 6.3% | -6.3% |
| 2024 | 5.9% | -6.7% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 5.9% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 6.7%, 88% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 5.9% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 12.1%, 49% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 14.8% | 12.6% | 16.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.1% | 8.1% | 12.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.8% | 5.9% | 7.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More population data for Kenya
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.1094 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.0288 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -2.22 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.0288 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.0% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 6.40 million people (2100)
- Population density 183.07 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.0% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.7363 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 1.9 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of people practicing open defecation in Kenya?
- Share of people practicing open defecation in Kenya was 5.9% in 2024, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of people practicing open defecation recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 16.9% in 2000.
- What is the lowest share of people practicing open defecation recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.9% in 2024.
- How does Kenya rank for share of people practicing open defecation?
- Kenya ranks 46th out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of people practicing open defecation rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 42.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of people practicing open defecation. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of people who practice open defecation. This includes defecating in fields, forests, bushes, bodies of water or other open spaces, not using any sanitation facilities.