Unemployment is a global scourge. The worst hit group are youth. Like other countries in the world, Kenya remains stuck in unemployment. Consequently, raging underutilization of human labour exists. There is a growing increase in the number of hopeless youths who cannot land a job even with professional skills. Where is the problem? And who is not doing what? We look at 10 facts about youth unemployment in Kenya.
- 15-35 age group mostly affected
Unemployment among youths aged 15-35 is significantly larger than that of entire working age group. As unemployment rates range from 40 to 70 percent, youths make up to 35 percent of the unemployed in Kenya.
- Blame for the increased insecurity
Unemployment is largely fuelling insecurity in Kenya. Trained youths hopelessly join radical groups like Al Shabaab and organized criminal gangs in search for employment. Cases of university students and graduates joining terror groups are common. Because of their desperate situation, recruiters promise them huge salaries and better lives. Others are opting to enrol with international groups like ISIS.
- Mismatched skills
Unemployment among youths starts from the classroom. The education system is simply theoretical. Many graduates join the job market when they have no practical skills to guarantee them a job or make them competitive.
- High Expectations from employers
Most Kenyan youth lack jobs because they lack experience. Employers have a way of keeping them at the periphery by demanding years of experience from applicants. The same employers have failed in their part by limiting or scrapping internship opportunities in their organizations. As such, youth have nowhere to gain experience.
- Employment is about whom you know not what you know
Nepotism is big cause of unemployment in this part of the world. Youth remain jobless because most employers consider connected jobseekers. For those without godfathers, they wallow in despair as their watch their dreams go up in flames.
- Poor leadership
Many government programs that aim at empowering youths to tame unemployment have either failed or not performing optimally. Such programs include Kazi Kwa Vijana, Youth Enterprise and Development Fund, Uwezo Fund and the NYS. They are marred with corruption scandals. Following the collapse of the World Bank funded kazi Kwa Vijana, the number of unemployed youth rose by about 300,000.
- Procurement curtails
The government increased the proportion of government tenders reserved for youth, women and Persons with Disabilities from 10% to 30%. This was to spur economic empowerment in the country. However, due to deliberate mismanagement and greed from those in charge, the program failed. Today, just a handful of youths are able to access the opportunities.
- Tax Rebates For internship
The government provides tax rebates to employers offering 6 to 12 months internships to university graduates. Apart from encouraging the employers to create more opportunities for youth, the government aims at equipping youths with prerequisite skills for the job market.
- Brain Drain
Due to increased unemployment, Kenyans are seeking greener pastures in South Africa, America and Europe. This creates shortage of professionals, worsening the already strained workforce.
- NYS-like Programs Help
Save for the massive looting at the state-run National Youth Service (NYS), such programs alleviate the problem of joblessness among youth. NYS hires about 20,000 youth each year. They actively participate in building roads, directing traffic, cleaning slums and performing other public tasks. With good management, such programs could give hope to the unemployed Kenyan youths.
By Catherine Akuku
