KNBS launches year-long household survey covering 24,000 homes to guide national planning

More than 24,000 households across Kenya, including those in refugee camps, are set to participate in a year-long national survey aimed at collecting vital data to support planning and monitor social welfare programs.

The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) announced that the 2025/26 Kenya Integrated Household Budget Survey (KIHBS) will run for 12 months starting this July.

The survey will gather information on income, health, education, employment, and living conditions to help shape government policy and track improvements in living standards.

KNBS officials will begin visiting selected households this month, with the exercise expected to continue until July 22, 2026. In total, the survey will cover 24,480 scientifically selected households across all 47 counties, including 960 households within refugee camps

“Data will be collected on various aspects including income distribution, expenditure patterns, education and health, employment and labour conditions, child health and nutrition, fertility and mortality rates, and housing, water, sanitation, and energy use,” KNBS said in a notice published in MyGov on Tuesday.

Face-to-face interviews

The officials conducting the survey will carry out face-to-face interviews in the selected households, using tablet computers to capture responses digitally.

KNBS assured the public that all enumerators will be clearly identifiable to avoid cases of impersonation.

“The enumerators will wear identification badges bearing QR scan codes for authentication and introduction letters from KNBS,” reads the notice.

The bureau appealed to all sampled households to cooperate and provide accurate responses, while assuring them that all data collected will be handled with utmost confidentiality.

“Our commitment is to hold the data collected in strict confidentiality and use it for statistical purposes only,” KNBS said.

The bureau described KIHBS as one of the country’s most comprehensive household surveys, noting that it plays a vital role in shaping Kenya’s economic and social development agenda.

To address any concerns from the public, KNBS has provided contact details for inquiries.

“For any inquiries, the public can contact KNBS at Real Towers, Nairobi via phone or email, or visit their website at www.knbs.or.ke,” adds the notice.

KNBS has called on Kenyans to support the exercise to enable the government to obtain reliable data that will be used to inform policies aimed at improving the lives of citizens.