Government Spokesperson Charles Owino has said solving Kenya's unemployment challenge will require more than creating jobs, arguing that the country must also confront changing attitudes towards work as some employers struggle to find reliable workers despite high levels of joblessness.
Speaking during a Radio Generation interview on Thursday, Owino described unemployment as one of Kenya's biggest challenges, saying both the government and citizens have a responsibility to help address the problem. He said the country should continue expanding industries that create jobs while encouraging young people to embrace available opportunities instead of focusing only on office-based careers.
According to Owino, lasting solutions will come from growing the economy, improving productivity and changing how different types of work are viewed.
"It is true that people are unemployed. I have brothers, sisters, cousins and even children who do not have jobs, so I cannot pretend the problem does not exist. That is why the President has said we should have a conversation. But in that conversation we must also tell ourselves the truth that we must work. There is a lot of work available, yet sometimes people are unwilling to take it," he said.
To illustrate his point, Owino said he has personally faced difficulties hiring dependable workers for his farming projects despite the opportunities they provide.
"I have a fish farm which is dying because I cannot get somebody to run it properly. I also have one of the best vegetable farms where we irrigate and supply schools, but getting dependable workers has become difficult. Some people expect salaries without putting in the work, and that is a conversation we must honestly have as a country."
He attributed part of the challenge to changing lifestyles and a growing preference for white-collar employment, saying many young people no longer see value in manual work or agriculture.
"When we were young, we woke up early to help our parents on the farm before going to school. We milked cows, weeded crops and returned after classes to continue working. Today many children spend their time indoors, and many young people are only looking for white-collar jobs that may not be available."
Owino said the government is working to expand employment opportunities both within Kenya and abroad, noting that more professionals are being trained and should be supported to access available markets.
"We are producing more nurses, more doctors and other professionals, and we must create pathways for them to access opportunities both locally and internationally. At the same time, we must industrialise our country because that is what creates sustainable jobs," he said.
He added that expanding industrialisation remains one of the key ways of creating long-term employment while supporting economic growth.
Owino also linked the unemployment challenge to the wider economic difficulties Kenya has experienced in recent years. He pointed to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, prolonged drought, the Russia-Ukraine war and rising global fuel prices, saying the combined impact placed pressure on public finances and slowed economic activity.
Despite those challenges, he said the government has taken steps aimed at stabilising the economy by strengthening foreign exchange reserves, easing inflation and improving overall economic performance. He maintained that creating more employment opportunities remains one of the government's top priorities as it pursues broader economic reforms.