Mwangi Kiunjuri urges govt to address youth unemployment
By Nancy Marende, August 24, 2025Former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri has called on the government to urgently address the growing challenge of youth unemployment, saying it threatens the country’s future stability.
Speaking on Sunday, August 24, 2025, Kiunjuri noted that while the introduction of free primary and secondary education under former President Mwai Kibaki was a milestone achievement, successive governments failed to plan for the millions of graduates entering the job market every year.
“Kusema ukweli, tuko na mambo mengi sana ambayo imechangia vijana kukosa kazi. Kwa mfano, Mwai Kibaki alianzisha free primary and secondary education. Lakini hakuna mtu aliangalia ya kwamba hawa vijana wakimaliza shule wataenda wapi na watakuwa wakifanya kazi gani,” Kiunjuri said.
He observed that over the years, the country has produced many educated young people who remain jobless, warning that frustration among the youth could derail national development.
“Tunakubaliana na vijana kwamba lazima serikali iweke mikakati kuhakikisha ya kwamba wakimaliza masomo wataweza kuyakimu mahitaji yao,” he added.
At the same time, Kiunjuri urged patience, saying that while frustrations are understandable, solutions to unemployment require time and collective effort.
“Hata kama tuko na malalamishi, tukubaliane kwamba Rome was not built in a day,” he remarked.
Kiunjuri encouraged policymakers to prioritise job creation strategies, investment in skills development, and empowerment programs to ensure young people are integrated into the economy.
Ruto
His remarks come a few months after President William Ruto acknowledged unemployment as a longstanding issue in Kenya, which started way before his presidency.
According to Ruto, unemployment in Kenya has been a serious and persistent issue, driven by structural and economic factors.
Speaking at a Police Housing Project in Kilimani Station, Nairobi, on July 9, 2025, Ruto lashed out at protestors who claimed his government could solve unemployment in Kenya despite them trusting his government to do so.
“Did all the youth have jobs before I was president? There are people who are inciting the youth into burning other people’s property and business places,” he said.
“Let us speak the truth; if people have any problem, they should speak to me. Unemployment has been there since President Jomo Kenyatta. My government is doing the best it can.”