Employment Challenges in Kenya
Loading...
Date
2013
Authors
Omolo, Jacob
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Centre for Economics and Community Economic Development
Abstract
This paper explores the employment challenge in Kenya. It focused on the past
employment creation interventions adopted by the country over time, their outcomes and
the status of the country’s employment policy. Kenya’s employment challenge is
manifested in terms of a 12.7 per cent open unemployment rate, 21 per cent
underemployment and a working poor estimated at 46 per cent of the employed. The
employment challenge is heightened by rapid population growth at 3 per cent per annum,
a youth bulge of 67 per cent of the adult population, low and un-sustained economic
growth, and structural rigidities. The paper establishes that much of the employment
creation measures adopted by the government have recognized the role of economic
growth in employment. This is despite the low employment yield of the country’s
economic growth attributed to sluggish economic growth. To reverse the trend in slow
employment growth, Kenya must focus on ensuring high and sustained economic growth.
In addition, employment needs to be put at the centre of the country’s macroeconomic
policies. Since a large proportion of the Kenyan labour force, even under the best scenario,
will remain in the informal sector, the living standards of Kenyans will only brighten if the
productivity and employment conditions of informal employment improve. It is envisaged
that improving the productivity of the informal sector with a well balanced mix of
economic and social policies will make a remarkable contribution to improve the labour
and living conditions of a large number of Kenyans.
Description
Research Article
Keywords
Employment Challenge, Employment Policy, Kenya
Citation
African Journal of Economic Review, Vol. I(I); 2013