Winnie Odinga: I don’t believe in over-reliance on govt for support
By Arnold Ngure, August 10, 2025East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) MP Winnie Odinga has remarked that she does not believe in the over-reliance on the government to support the youth.
Speaking during the pre-devolution conference held at the Ruma National Park in Homa Bay County on Sunday, August 10, 2025, Winnie stated that she is a firm believer that the youth could overcome their situations by leveraging technology.
“I believe in people being able to do things for themselves. I feel that technology is the key, that if you give people access to the internet, they should be able to remove themselves from their situations,” Winnie noted.
Provision of services
“I don’t believe in the over-reliance on the government to support you. There are some fantastic programs, but they are not going to remove everybody from every situation. I believe that the government should provide certain services that people use,” she observed.
“I believe that if you give people the tools to work, they are smart enough to get out of their situations.”
Kenya’s unemployment situation presents a complex challenge, with recent data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) highlighting both progress and persistent hurdles.
According to the 2024 Economic Survey, the overall unemployment rate has shown a slight decrease, with the rate dropping to approximately 5.4%. While this trend indicates a positive trajectory, it’s essential to look beyond the top-line figure to understand the full picture, particularly for the country’s youth.
Youth unemployment
The youth unemployment rate remains a critical concern, standing at a significantly higher level than the national average.
A large portion of this youthful population faces a skills mismatch, where their education does not align with the demands of the modern job market, leading to a large number of young people in the informal sector or a state of underemployment.
While the government has resorted to empowerment programmes, issuing grants and rolling out elaborate labour migration initiatives, a significant majority of the youth still languish in poverty and joblessness.
Nationwide government projects like the affordable housing programme and the modern markets building have yet to significantly reduce the unemployment rates, which surge with every graduation.