Unemployed or underemployed: Kenyans weigh in on state of job market

According to the Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE), despite the overall unemployment rate in Kenya being at around 12%, the unemployment rate of Kenyan youth (15–34 years old) is at around 67%.

This, as more than one million young people enter the labour market annually, has resulted in a job market that is not creating enough jobs to absorb the huge number of young people entering the workforce every year.

Speaking during a Citizen Digital X Space on Tuesday, Stephen Obiro, the head of advocacy and partnerships at the Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE), said there is need for a fiscal policy to support private sector growth to avoid levels of unemployment reaching crisis levels.

“Although the number entering the job market is increasing, the private sector is not creating enough jobs for them… We need a fiscal policy that supports the private sector growth. We need a fiscal policy that can be able to support our private sector, for us to grow and to become more competitive,” he said.

Other participants in the X Space said that there is a need for more synergy between educational institutions and the employment sector to improve access to opportunities upon graduation.

Vincent Rupar, a listener, lamented about the struggles of running a business.

“I run a tours and travel company and I want to tell those involved in policy making that we can't have a country that depends on youths looking for jobs, but we don't care about those who are creating these jobs. The government cannot employ everyone.”

Rupar said that he graduated n 2016 but opted not to get into employment, but rather start a business because he did not want to end up spending years unemployed.

 “I didn’t want to go into a long cycle of looking for jobs and sending CVs, which is frustrating, especially for someone like me, coming from a background where I have many dependents. As a first born, you always have to provide.”

Rupar added that there is a need to reduce taxes to make the investment environment friendly.

“I have loans I’m paying of up to Ksh. 300,000 loans for two cars which I use for my business, which is high. The government needs to find a way to make affordable loans available,” he said.

However, Josephine, another participant in the X Space, said that some youths have an entitled mentality and expect to get high-paying jobs straight out of university, which is not always possible.

She said, “We have many youths who do not have a job in the country, but many do not have determination. It’s not enough to have papers (degrees) because there are people who are hired and they fail to deliver because they are waiting for someone to ‘jump start’ them.”

Josephine continued, “You cannot depend on people to jump start you. You must have determination to make it.”

She continued to urge youths to take up opportunities as they come and work their way up and not only look for high paying jobs.

“ I searched for a job for 7 years without success, but I never sat down and pitied myself. I got into the detergent making business and later moved on. People were surprised to find out that I was educated,” Josephine said.

 Catch up on other Citizen Digital X Space discussions here.