Kenyans' happiness levels drop for the first time since 2018: report

Kenyans’ happiness levels have dropped this year according to a new report, marking the first time the country has registered a drop since 2018.

The 2024 World Happiness Report ranks Kenya 114 out of the 143 countries analysed, a drop from 111 in last year’s report. Surveyors scored happiness levels based on individuals’ assessments of their lives.

Kenya last recorded a drop in 2018 at position 124 from 2017’s ranking as the 112th happiest nation.

Finland remains the world’s happiest nation globally, followed by Denmark, Iceland, Sweden and Israel.

Meanwhile, the world’s unhappiest countries per the report are Congo (139), Sierra Leone (140), Lesotho (141), Lebanon (142) and Afghanistan (143).

Regionally, Kenya ranks ahead of its neighbours Uganda (117), Egypt (127), Ethiopia (130), Tanzania (131) and Malawi at 136.

The report places young people (those aged below 30) as the happiest group at position 109 globally with the upper middle-aged persons (those aged between 45 and 59) the unhappiest at 123.

The lower middle-aged (between 30 and 44) and the elderly (over 60) recorded similar happiness scores at position 119 globally.

The annual World Happiness Report is produced in partnership with the American management consulting company Gallup, the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford and the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network.

The report comes at a time when Kenyans are grappling with a high cost of living and increased taxation by the government.

President William Ruto’s government has introduced new taxes such as this month’s signing of the Affordable Housing Act which will see Kenyans part with 1.5 per cent of their gross pay towards a controversial housing levy.

The government last year also increased deductions to the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), among other revisions to existing taxes, which has in turn also seen the prices of various basic commodities go up.