{"id":222276,"date":"2022-04-17T13:14:50","date_gmt":"2022-04-17T11:14:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/atheism-in-kenya-why-accurate-numbers-are-hard-to-come-by\/"},"modified":"2022-04-17T13:14:50","modified_gmt":"2022-04-17T11:14:50","slug":"atheism-in-kenya-why-accurate-numbers-are-hard-to-come-by","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/atheism-in-kenya-why-accurate-numbers-are-hard-to-come-by\/","title":{"rendered":"Atheism in Kenya: why accurate numbers are hard to come by"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The accuracy of statistics on religious affiliations in sub-Saharan Africa is questionable. This makes it difficult to assess religious trends. <\/p>\n

The issue has come to the fore recently in Kenya with the release of statistics around religious affiliation. In particular, the fact that the census showed that 1.6% of Kenyans<\/a> identified themselves as atheists, agnostics or as following no religion in particular. In the parlance of the census, they were classified as \u2018nones\u2019.<\/p>\n

But is this number accurate? I think it\u2019s doubtful. There are two major reasons why.<\/p>\n

The first is that religious statistics are highly politicised because they\u2019re associated with ethnicity and politics. Across the continent, there has generally been a tendency by politicians to co-opt religious leadership for their campaigns. <\/p>\n

According to some surveys<\/a>, people generally trust religious leaders more than politicians. It, therefore, makes sense for politicians to enlist these leaders. <\/p>\n

Anthropologists Yonatan N Gez, Nadia Beider and Helga Dickow point to a number of examples in their study<\/a> on this issue. In Chad, for instance, due to the protracted civil war between 1965 and 1979, the 2009 census was withheld due to implications for the demographic balance of Muslims and Christians. And in Nigeria, Muslim leaders threatened to boycott the national census if the category of \u2018religion\u2019 was included in the questionnaire. <\/p>\n

The academics warn that these examples show that census reports in Africa should not be taken at face value when it comes to religious affiliation.<\/p>\n

The second reason that the accuracy of statistics on religious affiliation is flawed has to do with the way census questionnaires are designed, particularly around the category of \u2018nones\u2019. The use of the category varies widely. In some countries, it is used to encapsulate a range of groups that are not affiliated with religion. In others, it\u2019s left out completely. A study<\/a> of 105 census reports in Africa found that only 64 employed the category of \u2018nones\u2019. <\/p>\n

These problems explain why census data could be showing a stable and very low percentage of African \u2018nones\u2019. This runs counter to the global trend of declining religiosity<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The difficulties in correctly projecting \u2018religious nones\u2019 on the continent has further been highlighted by the three anthropologists in their study<\/a>. They say estimates of this category vary greatly, depending on the design of each piece of research. This includes the sampling methods used and how questions are framed. <\/p>\n

For example, a 2012 Gallup poll pegged \u2018religious nones\u2019 in sub-Saharan Africa at 7%, the highest estimate. In the middle are the most extensive data sources on the topic, the Pew Research Center (2010) and Afrobarometer (2018). Both put \u2018religious nones\u2019 at 3.2%. At the bottom is the World Christian Encyclopedia\u2019s estimate of just under 1%.<\/p>\n

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Read more: Atheist group in Kenya tests boundaries of religious tolerance<\/a> <\/strong> <\/em>\n<\/p>\n

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And now, the latest census figures (2019) suggest that 1.6% of Kenyans are \u2018nones\u2019. The \u2018nones\u2019 as measured in Kenya include a range of groups such as atheists, agnostics and humanists, pointing to a broad scope and lack of precision. The website of the Atheists in Kenya Society<\/a> also includes a range of groups with different orientations but united by non-belief. <\/p>\n

Trends in religious following<\/h2>\n

Data shows a global decline in religiosity. A comparative study<\/a> of 1980 to 2020 indicated the following global trends:<\/p>\n