Kenyan youths are more concerned about the lack of employment and the high levels of corruption than their counterparts in the rest of Africa, a study has revealed.

A survey by the Ichikowitz Family Foundation established that more than three-quarters of Kenyan youths are dissatisfied with job creation efforts in the country, at 11 percentage points above the continent’s average of 69 per cent.

On corruption, 39 per cent of Kenyan youths said the government must do more to combat corruption, which was 17 percentage points above the continent’s average of 22 per cent.

Kenya’s 2019 Census data shows that 38.9 per cent of all youths in Kenya (5.3 million) are jobless. Worse still, it revealed that over 800,000 youths are getting into the job market every year, meaning there is a youth bulge.

World Bank data shows 5.7 per cent of Kenya’s labour force was out of work in 2021, up from 2.8 per cent in 2013.

High unemployment rates

As of 2021, Kenya had the highest unemployment rate in East Africa, higher than Uganda’s 2.9 per cent, Tanzania’s 2.6 and Rwanda’s 1.6 per cent.

Kenya ranks poorly with regard to corruption with a January report by Transparency International showing that Kenya scored 30 points, below the Sub-Saharan Africa average of 33.

This placed Kenya as being more corrupt than Rwanda (53), and Tanzania (39). Regionally, the country performed better than Uganda (27), Burundi (19) and South Sudan which is ranked the most corrupt country in the world at 11 points. 

According to the Ichikowitz survey, most Kenyan youths see starting their own business as the way out of joblessness with nine out of every 10 youths (90 per cent) saying they would want to start their own business given the opportunity.

Ivor Ichikowitz, the founder and Chairman of the Ichikowitz Foundation, says this mindset presents a great opportunity for the Ruto administration to engage the Kenyan youths.

‘Engage the youths’

“Our data shows that Kenya tops the list for the country with the highest levels of young people, no less than 90 per cent, who want to start their own businesses. This highlights the overwhelming opportunity presented to the country’s new leadership to engage Kenya’s young people; to listen to their wants, hopes and dreams; to spark them into action and to activate the agency of youth across the country,” he said.

“In the wake of August’s Presidential elections, our study makes clear the fact that Kenya’s next generation is today ready to play a leading role in reinvigorating the potential of the East African juggernaut’s economy. Kenya is a world-renowned and recognized ‘Silicon Savannah’, a tech hub home to more than 200 flourishing start-ups,” he added.