 The
TAITA TAVETA SECONDARY DATA REVIEW
county shares 22.6 % of the national urban population
ranked 17/47 CRA 2011
Introduction
This document is a baseline for humanitarian needs
assessment in Taita-Taveta County with an aim of providing
information that would aid in decision making. The
information presented has been gathered through a review of
pre-crisis, studies and secondary data lessons learnt. Available
indicator information is by County, Sub County, and National
(where there is no available sub-county/county information).
This desk review is to help in the process of assessment
planning for humanitarian needs assessment.
 Wundanyi
town town has largest urban population taking
21.9%% of the county’s population, followed by Taveta
6.97%, Voi 6.02% and Mwatate 1.95% CRA 2011
 Taita
Taveta has a poverty rate of 54% (head count) which is
considerably high as compared to the national rates. (CRECO,
2012).
 The disability proportions;; visual disability 1.78% % hearing
disability, 0.75% speech disability, 0.49% physical and selfcare disability, 1.86%% mental disability 0.75% and those
with other disabilities 0.66%%.1 Taita – Taveta County has a
population density of 293.2 km2, lower than the national
population density of 401.1Km2 as shown in the table below
Purpose of the Desk review
This desk review is not a comprehensive survey on food
security, livelihoods, WASH, protection etc nor is it an interagency needs assessment. It is a process in which a secondary
literature and data has been used to uncover any relevant
information of use and guidance for the preparation of the incrisis primary data collection.
 The
average household size in Taita – Taveta is 71090
(0.81%), lower than the national household size of 8767104 (
See Table 1
 In
2011, the national birth rate per 1,000 was 37.6 (World
Bank, 2011), and the annual population growth rate was
2.67% (World bank, 2012)
Demography of Population
County
 Taita
Taveta County 51% of the population are male while
49% are female. (KNBS 2012)
#
Area in
Populatio
Male
 1 Population with disability census 2009)
1
Female
Total
Populati
Households
Sq.Km
n Density
TaitaTaveta
***
71090
971**
293.2****
Kenya
8,767,104
on
145334
139323
income earner, owing to the fact that Tsavo National Park
and numerous animal sanctuaries are located within the
County. (CRECO 2012,)
284657
Environmental conditions
96,252.
0
401.1
19,192,4
58
19,417,
639
 These tensions pit large scale land owners versus the small
holders, squatters versus registered owners, the government
versus squatters and agriculturalists versus animal ranchers.
Some disputes over ownership of communal land (group
ranches) crop up. Besides land-related conflicts, the County
has also experienced human-wildlife conflicts persistently.
(CRECO 2012)
38,610,0
97
Table 1 Population statistics Taita Taveta (Source: KNBS 2012, Source 2009 Census, ****
CRA 2012)2 **CRECO 2012
Area Profile
Geography, climate and economy
 Taita Taveta is located in the southern part of the country
and it borders Tanzania and Kwale in the south, Kilifi and
Kitui to the East, Makueni and Kajiado to the north. CRECO
2012 Dawida and Taveta are the indigenous communities
with a sizeable Kikuyu, Kamba, Luo and Somali migrant
population is settled in the area. CRECO 2012There are 4
constituencies in the County which are Mwatate, Voi,
Wundanyi and Taveta. CRECO 2012
The capital is Mwatate even though it is the third-largest
town in the county after Voi, Wundanyi and Taveta in that
order CRECO 2012
 The gross national income per capita was $2780 World
Bank,2014
 Kenya’s inflation rate stood at 3.25% in November 2013
(www.worldbank.org)
Socio-cultural characteristics
Taveta and Voi are the most ethnically diverse constituencies
in the County, due to the presence of large migrant
communities that came as laborers or settlers. CRECO 2012
Governance and coordination
 The County has magistrates’ courts in Voi, Wundanyi and
Taveta. CRECO 2012
 The
County however is rich in minerals such as gemstones,
iron ore and limestone.27 Tourism is also a significant
2
Historic triggers/Sources of tentions
http://knbs.or.ke/countydata.php
2
 Malaria cases (per 100,000 people) is 17098 lower than the
national 21,945 (Table 2)
 The county is prone to politicaly motivated violence,
 The land issue has featured prominently in previous elections. The
government has managed to compulsorily acquire land from for the
settlement of some squatters
 Tuberculosis Prevalence (per 100,000 people) 211, which is
lower than the national level 223(3)
CRECO 2012.
Security Issues
Taita Taveta is a border County that is prone to insecurity due
to cross-border thuggery. There is also a high incidence of
poaching within the national park and animal sanctuaries in
the area. CRECO 2012
 Mother to child HIV transmission is 8.8% higher than the
national level 8.5%4
 Underweight (weight for age) (%) is 27.5 higher than the
national level 15.0%5
 Stunted (height for age) (%) 29.0 is lower than the national
30.0 6
Livelihoods
 The national life expectancy at birth is 57.5% for males and
56.3 for females (World bank, 2012)

The County is rich in minerals such as gemstones, iron
ore and limestone.
 Tourism is a significant income earner, owing to the fact
that Tsavo National Park and numerous animal
sanctuaries are located within the County.
Health and Nutrition
 The national literacy rate for adults is 87.4% (90.6% for
males, 84.2% for females), and the youth literacy rate is 92%
(91.7% for males, 93.7% for females World Bank, 2010
Health coverage
Taita Taveta
Kenya *
Health
Malaria test positivity (%)
12.7
30.0
 64.8(%) of births are delivered at health facility as compared
to the national level 44% ( Table 2)
TB prevalent 100,000 (people 2012)
211
223
Mother to child transmission of HIV
8.8
8.5
Delivered in a health centre (%)
64.8
44
 83.3 Fully-immunized pop <1yr (2012) higher than the
national 83.0% (Table 2)
3 MOH - Kenya Health Information System 2012
4
MOH - Kenya Health Information System 2012
MOH - Kenya Health Information System 2012
6 MOH - Kenya Health Information System 2012
5
3
Doctors (per 100,000 people)
9
7
Full immunization coverage (%)
83.3
83.0
Information Gaps

Food Security : No county information in regards to the
food security, major crops planted, main source of
food, etc
 Shocks and Hazards: The hazards floods, drought etc
are not documented. So the information is limited.
Background Resources
Table 2: MOH – Kenya health information system 2012
Figures shown are percentage of population, figure in brackets indicates the rank compared
across all 47 counties. * indicates Kenya county average
WASH
Access to water
Improved water accessibility at household level 65.9% the
year (UNICEF Study 2013) Improved sanitation at household
level 94.3% (census 2009)
http://data.worldbank.org/country/kenya?display=default
http://www.healthpolicyproject.com/
http://www.kenyampya.com/
Education
 74.7% of those attending Schools are between15-18 years
this is higher compared to national 70.9 %, and is ranked
23/47 counties ( CRA 2011)
 Those who can read & write are 45.3% lower than the
national level 66.4% and is ranked41/47 counties (CRA 2011)
Taita Taveta
Kenya
Can read & write (10-14 years)
45.3(41)
66.4
Attending School, 15-18 years
74.7 (23)
70.9
Table 3: County Education coverage (CRA, 2011)
Figures shown are percentage of population, figure in brackets
indicates the rank compared across all 47 counties. * indicates
Kenya county average
4
Figure 1: Taveta Taita County map (population density) Source:
5