Youth Unemployment; The Sad Tales And Frustrations Of Educated & Unemployed Kenyan Graduates

Are you a recent graduate already feeling the pinch of unemployment?

Most recent graduates have had to read from a similar script when it comes to tarmacking.

And employers are not making things any easier. Most of them are shunning away from employing recent graduates because they lack the hand-on experience required.

So here is this graduate who struggles to get by in school, with the hope of clinching a white collar job until the reality dawns on them after tarmacking for months or even years that the 8-5 white collar job only exists in their imaginations.

It is a sad tale as more and more graduates are released into the job market to face the wrath of unemployment.

Blame it on the quality of education or half-baked graduates but the situation does not seem to improve.

After hopelessly tarmacking for so long, David Kyalo decided to ditch the frustration and start his own company. He is now the owner of Afriqque Ventures, a company that now makes over 5 million in turnover every year.

This crisis has seen several graduates out of frustration take to the streets armed with placards, begging for jobs.

You remember the young man on Thika road and the young woman along old Limuru road strategically near the UN headquarters begging to be given a chance to grow their careers. And these are just the few we got to know about.

What about the many unknown graduates who have had to part with money to be employed or sleep around to get a job?

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The Game Of Politricks & The Already Frustrated Kenyan Youth

As various political parties base their campaigns on youth unemployment, where does that leave the Kenyan graduate who has to suffer as these political rivals measure up to each other?

In the recent manifestos launched by both Jubilee and NASA, youth unemployment could not go untouched.

President Uhuru promised to create 1.3 million jobs every year and establish at least an industry in every county to curb youth unemployment.

The National Super Alliance (NASA) was not left behind, as they also promised to ensure that if they clinched the presidency come August 8th, they would implement various projects in the country which would see hundreds if not thousands of jobs created every year.

Well, whoever has the final say, only God knows? And as to whether these promises are legit or just a way of clinching the millions of votes that Kenyan youths hold, only time will tell.

But one thing is for sure, since the era of retired president Moi, youth unemployment has been the re – election agenda for almost every politician eyeing a seat in the August House.

They have promised to create jobs for youths but as it stands out, most people though educated are yet to get jobs and the economic situation only serves to add salt to injury. For how long will this go on?

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The State of the Nation

Over the years, the unemployment rates in Kenya have continued to shoot up even as the government puts in measures to correct the situation.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in a survey reported that four in every ten Kenyan youths, of working age are unemployed, making it the worst in the region.

In their most recent survey conducted in March 2017, the study showed that 39.1% of the Kenyan population of working age do not have jobs.

This is in comparison to 24% in Tanzania, 21.6% In Ethiopia, 18.1% in Uganda and Rwanda’s 17.1%.

Where did we go wrong?

Employment Crisis At Its Peak

The situation is depressing as it is. So what do experts say?

Most employers claim that recent graduates have no experience which is why they don’t consider them for employment.

Where then, does this young man and woman who has just graduated and is hoping to get a job and build their career by gaining the much needed experience?

So Who Is To Blame?

The unemployment situation as it stands out is not improving any time soon. With thousands of youths graduating each year, where do those who graduated a while back and yet to secure jobs go? Very few have the resources to start a business.

And those who do are restricted by corruption. Uwezo Fund was lunched to help youths better themselves through self-employment, but the corruption and greed in those offices just kills these dreams.

1. Corruption

Mr. Perminus Wainaina, a recruiter and Career Coach at Corporate Staffing Services notes that unemployment rates have shot up due to corruption.

Just because someone has the resources to bribe their way to a good job doesn’t mean that they are competent. And so youths who have what it takes to deliver are left out because they can’t afford a bribe.

“We have the issue of corruption where graduates have been forced to pay to secure employment especially in the public service,” says Mr. Wainaina.

2. Shambles of the Economy

The tough turbulent economic times have seen most companies suffer losses and most employers have been sent home on grounds or redundancy or early retirement.

The most recent to be hit is Nakumatt which has seen several of its stores close.

Cadbury Kenya closed down seeing more than 100 people go home.

When Eveready East Africa closed its Nakuru plant after 47 years of operation, more than 100 workers were forced to go home.

After the curbing of bank interest rates on loans by President Uhuru Kenyatta, 400 workers in Equity Bank and another 500 from KCB Bank were forced to pack and go.

With other major international companies closing their Kenyan plants like Colgate Palmolive in 2006, Reckitt Benckiser among others the situation seems to get worse.

The jobless it seems, will continue being jobless until a lasting solution is found.

But if the statistics by UNDP are anything to go by, the only salvation lies in starting a business of your own. Get training and others skills that employers are looking for.

The government has rolled out the Ajira Digital Platform, to help Kenyan youths earn a living through online work.

Maybe the future does look bright, but whatever it gives birth to, only the spans of time and seasons can tell.

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Compiled By Lilian Wamaitha

What is your opinion on the article? Share them in the comments section below. You can also get in touch by sending an email to lilian@www.careerpointkenya.co.ke.