UN report shows Kenya’s jobs crisis the worst in region

[kilam]

By NEVILLE OTUKI
Posted Wednesday, May 3 2017 at 11:55

East Africa’s largest economy, Kenya, holds the dubious distinction of having the region’s highest unemployment rate, the United Nations says in its latest assessment of human development that throws a huge policy-making challenge at Nairobi.

The 2017 Human Development Index (HDI) shows that Kenya’s rate of unemployment is now equal to those of neighbouring Ethiopia and Rwanda combined, highlighting the paradox of economic policies that have sustained growth without generating jobs — culminating to poor distribution of the benefits of growth.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report says that nearly four in every 10 Kenyans of working age have no jobs — the worst level of unemployment in the region.

The report says 39.1 per cent of the Kenyan population of working age are unemployed compared to Tanzania’s 24 per cent, Ethiopia’s 21.6 per cent, Uganda’s 18.1 per cent and Rwanda’s 17.1 per cent.

The UN agency warns that soaring unemployment in the region, especially in Kenya, risks breeding runaway crime and violence.

“While Kenya has shown progress in promotion of human development — in improving access to education, health and sanitation, with more people rising out of extreme poverty — several groups remain disadvantaged,” the UN says in the report that was released Tuesday.

Highest dependency ratio

Mass joblessness is a drag on the economy because it forces unemployed adults to depend on the small number of working relatives and stretches family resources, making it difficult for them to save or invest.

The high level of unemployment has also left Kenya with one of the highest dependency ratios in the world at 75.4 per cent arising from the large number of youths (children under 15 years) in every family.

Most importantly, the country’s income inequality level of 33.1 per cent, which is only second to Rwanda’s, means wealth is held by a few, making it the main driver of runaway unemployment.

READ: Kenya mints 900 new dollar millionaires as wealth gap widens

Kenya’s unemployment crisis has also been blamed on sluggish growth of formal sector jobs even as the country continues to produce thousands of university graduates every year.

As a result, the country’s economy is missing out on the labour dividend it should be reaping from the bulge in its youthful population in terms of foregone productivity, innovation and consumer market growth.

Labour market

The report shows Kenya’s labour market has deteriorated from 2011 when unemployment touched a low of 24.1 per cent, with 75.9 per cent of the population aged 25 years and above having been found to have had jobs.

http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/bus...crisis/2560-3912118-item-0-aun13oz/index.html

 

[tuusan]

Kumbe colloh -mzii reloaded ni jobless..nawaza kwa sauti

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[Edward Wanjala]

Kumbe colloh -mzii reloaded ni jobless..nawaza kwa sauti

Sent from my SM-J200H using JamiiForums mobile app

In Kenya we never look for employment, I have not met a single University graduate looking for employment in Kenya, we always look to employ ourselves. These reports look at people in employment against the population, but they don't look at self employment. Tanzanians and many African Countries, the youths look to be employed, in Kenya it is the difference, meet any Kenyan graduate and ask him of employment, he will refuse, youths resign after getting capital to start their own companies. That is what we do in Kenya

 

[tuusan]

In Kenya we never look for employment, I have not met a single University graduate looking for employment in Kenya, we always look to employ ourselves. These reports look at people in employment against the population, but they don't look at self employment. Tanzanians and many African Countries, the youths look to be employed, in Kenya it is the difference, meet any Kenyan graduate and ask him of employment, he will refuse, youths resign after getting capital to start their own companies. That is what we do in Kenya

You cannot exclude those hu employ themself in that zone, when we say unemployment we mean someone hu has nothing to do and hence typically dependant, even here in Tanzania gov has only 600k employees that means private sector and self employees where not included! !unemployed means hu are not earning. ...why yu are too defending?sometimes agree the facts

 

[Iconoclastes]

You cannot exclude those hu employ themself in that zone, when we say unemployment we mean someone hu has nothing to do and hence typically dependant, even here in Tanzania gov has only 600k employees that means private sector and self employees where not included! !unemployed means hu are not earning. ...why yu are too defending?sometimes agree the facts

That report has only talked about the youth unemployed in the formal sector. The section of that report has clearly stated:

"Kenya’s unemployment crisis has also been blamed on sluggish growth of formal sector jobs even as the country continues to produce thousands of university graduates every year.

As a result, the country’s economy is missing out on the labour dividend it should be reaping from the bulge in its youthful population in terms of foregone productivity, innovation and consumer market growth."

 

[Iconoclastes]

Kenya, Rwanda have highest informal jobs in Africa


Kenya has the highest informal sector employment among nine countries covered in a new report by the United Nations’ Economic Commission for Africa.

Employment in the sector stands at 77.9 per cent of the total ahead of Rwanda’s 73.4 per cent, Uganda’s 59.2 and Tanzania’s 8.5 per cent. In Egypt, Liberia, Madagascar, Mauritius and South Africa, the sector offers jobs to 51.2, 49.5, 51.8, 9.3 and 17.8 per cent of workers, respectively.

The study, launched Thursday in Nairobi, looked at the informal employment outside the agricultural sector with the overall focus being industrialisation through trade.

“In Kenya and Rwanda, three out of four workers are employed in the informal sector, a proportion that increases to over 80 per cent among women,” said the report.

The study attributes the high level of informal sector workers to inability of the formal sector to absorb the huge number of job seekers.

“As the formal sector — public and private — cannot absorb the increased tide of job seekers, informal employment usually drives job creation in most countries,” says the report. It notes that over 70 per cent of jobs in eastern, central, western and southern Africa in the past 10 years have been in the informal sector.

In Africa, abundant labour supply is compounded by the fact that there are no social safety nets, making it difficult for most low-skilled workers to quit the labour market.

The coverage of social protection of informal workers in Africa is estimated at about 10 per cent compared to 50 per cent in Latin America and the Caribbean.

“Most of these workers operate under a high degree of informality and vulnerability, resulting in small and unpredictable incomes, poor working conditions and low productivity. Such informality is likely to trap people into poverty,” says the report.

According to data from Kenya’s Economic Survey 2015, the informal sector employed 11.8 million people in 2014 against 2.4 million in the modern or formal sector.

Total recorded employment stands at 14.3 million. Out of the 799,700 jobs created last year, 693,400 were in the informal sector.

The number of new formal sector jobs fell in 2014 to 106,400 from 134,200 in the previous year.

“Majority of the small businesses such as retailers, hawkers, boda boda operators and other service providers fall in this sector but (it) excludes drug trafficking and any other illegal activity,” said the Economic Survey.

The survey further noted that the sector had expanded over the years to include people engaged in small-scale manufacturing, transport, information, communication and technology.

The wholesale and retail trade put together with hotels and restaurants form the largest part of the informal sector with 6,733,200 people employed, followed by manufacturing with 2,236,300 people while the community, social and personal services sub sector employs 1,089,500 people.


Read More Here [url=http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/Kenya-has-highest-informal-jobs-in-Africa-/2558-2765832-6g3ielz/index.html]TheEastAfrican[/URL]

 

[kilam]

In Kenya we never look for employment, I have not met a single University graduate looking for employment in Kenya, we always look to employ ourselves. These reports look at people in employment against the population, but they don't look at self employment. Tanzanians and many African Countries, the youths look to be employed, in Kenya it is the difference, meet any Kenyan graduate and ask him of employment, he will refuse, youths resign after getting capital to start their own companies. That is what we do in Kenya

Acha kuongea pumba wewe, unaongea utadhani upo na wanafunzi wako humu.

How State milks millions from desperate job seekers

By Geoffrey Mosoku | Updated Sun, April 16th 2017 at 00:00 GMT +3

Huge numbers

Charging by the huge number of Kenyans applying for jobs, a single exercise attracting 60,000 persons may give the government about Sh282 million. These requirements cost about Sh4,700 per person to obtain. The amount includes Sh2,200 for CRB, Sh1,000 for good conduct, Sh1,000 for Helb and Sh500 for EACC.

The Judiciary also faced a similar logistical problem when more than 60,000 people applied for the 1,000 advertised clerical jobs and interpreters.

Last year, KDF recruited 2,000 personnel but almost 50,000 people turned up for the recruitment exercise conducted across all counties.

With statistics indicating that unemployment rates stand at 40 per cent, the situation can only get worse.

The World Bank estimates that about 800,000 Kenyans who graduate from various training institutions enter the job market annually, yet only about 70,000 or less than 10 per cent can be absorbed into formal employment.

How State milks millions from desperate job seekers

 

[kilam]

Kenya, Rwanda have highest informal jobs in Africa


Kenya has the highest informal sector employment among nine countries covered in a new report by the United Nations’ Economic Commission for Africa.

Employment in the sector stands at 77.9 per cent of the total ahead of Rwanda’s 73.4 per cent, Uganda’s 59.2 and Tanzania’s 8.5 per cent. In Egypt, Liberia, Madagascar, Mauritius and South Africa, the sector offers jobs to 51.2, 49.5, 51.8, 9.3 and 17.8 per cent of workers, respectively.

The study, launched Thursday in Nairobi, looked at the informal employment outside the agricultural sector with the overall focus being industrialisation through trade.

“In Kenya and Rwanda, three out of four workers are employed in the informal sector, a proportion that increases to over 80 per cent among women,” said the report.

The study attributes the high level of informal sector workers to inability of the formal sector to absorb the huge number of job seekers.

“As the formal sector — public and private — cannot absorb the increased tide of job seekers, informal employment usually drives job creation in most countries,” says the report. It notes that over 70 per cent of jobs in eastern, central, western and southern Africa in the past 10 years have been in the informal sector.

In Africa, abundant labour supply is compounded by the fact that there are no social safety nets, making it difficult for most low-skilled workers to quit the labour market.

The coverage of social protection of informal workers in Africa is estimated at about 10 per cent compared to 50 per cent in Latin America and the Caribbean.

“Most of these workers operate under a high degree of informality and vulnerability, resulting in small and unpredictable incomes, poor working conditions and low productivity. Such informality is likely to trap people into poverty,” says the report.

According to data from Kenya’s Economic Survey 2015, the informal sector employed 11.8 million people in 2014 against 2.4 million in the modern or formal sector.

Total recorded employment stands at 14.3 million. Out of the 799,700 jobs created last year, 693,400 were in the informal sector.

The number of new formal sector jobs fell in 2014 to 106,400 from 134,200 in the previous year.

“Majority of the small businesses such as retailers, hawkers, boda boda operators and other service providers fall in this sector but (it) excludes drug trafficking and any other illegal activity,” said the Economic Survey.

The survey further noted that the sector had expanded over the years to include people engaged in small-scale manufacturing, transport, information, communication and technology.

The wholesale and retail trade put together with hotels and restaurants form the largest part of the informal sector with 6,733,200 people employed, followed by manufacturing with 2,236,300 people while the community, social and personal services sub sector employs 1,089,500 people.


Read More Here TheEastAfrican

“Most of these workers operate under a high degree of informality and vulnerability, resulting in small and unpredictable incomes, poor working conditions and low productivity. Such informality is likely to trap people into poverty,” says the report.

 

[Iconoclastes]

Acha kuongea pumba wewe, unaongea utadhani upo na wanafunzi wako humu.

How State milks millions from desperate job seekers

By Geoffrey Mosoku | Updated Sun, April 16th 2017 at 00:00 GMT +3

Huge numbers

Charging by the huge number of Kenyans applying for jobs, a single exercise attracting 60,000 persons may give the government about Sh282 million. These requirements cost about Sh4,700 per person to obtain. The amount includes Sh2,200 for CRB, Sh1,000 for good conduct, Sh1,000 for Helb and Sh500 for EACC.

The Judiciary also faced a similar logistical problem when more than 60,000 people applied for the 1,000 advertised clerical jobs and interpreters.

Last year, KDF recruited 2,000 personnel but almost 50,000 people turned up for the recruitment exercise conducted across all counties.

With statistics indicating that unemployment rates stand at 40 per cent, the situation can only get worse.

The World Bank estimates that about 800,000 Kenyans who graduate from various training institutions enter the job market annually, yet only about 70,000 or less than 10 per cent can be absorbed into formal employment.

How State milks millions from desperate job seekers

So, have u discounted in anyway his above argument that most fresh graduates, disillusioned by the grim prospect of securing well paying jobs....or even getting employed at all are not resorting to self-employment? What exactly is your point above?

 

[kilam]

So, have u discounted in anyway his above argument that most fresh graduates, disillusioned by the grim prospect of securing well paying jobs....or even getting employed at all are not resorting to self-employment? What exactly is your point above?

Those desperate graduates still apply for jobs unlike Edward Wanjala 's delusional statement above.

 

[Iconoclastes]

“Most of these workers operate under a high degree of informality and vulnerability, resulting in small and unpredictable incomes, poor working conditions and low productivity. Such informality is likely to trap people into poverty,” says the report.

Those are parts of the risks, but millions of the youithful Kenyans really do eke out their living thru informal employment, the above mentioned challenges not withstanding. May I inform u that the situation is not all that rosy even for the masses employed in the formal sector.

I remember a research that indicated that the vast majority of the Kenyan youth in formal employment were not happy with their jobs, were considering either quitting and either set up their own businesses or change jobs or switch professions.

The formal job market, over the recent years has greatly lost its shine among the majority of Kenyan youths.

http://www.nation.co.ke/news/Most-y...-survey-shows/1056-3035216-c8d3ssz/index.html

Those desperate graduates still apply for jobs unlike Edward Wanjala 's delusional statement above.

 

[Edward Wanjala]

Acha kuongea pumba wewe, unaongea utadhani upo na wanafunzi wako humu.

How State milks millions from desperate job seekers

By Geoffrey Mosoku | Updated Sun, April 16th 2017 at 00:00 GMT +3

Huge numbers

Charging by the huge number of Kenyans applying for jobs, a single exercise attracting 60,000 persons may give the government about Sh282 million. These requirements cost about Sh4,700 per person to obtain. The amount includes Sh2,200 for CRB, Sh1,000 for good conduct, Sh1,000 for Helb and Sh500 for EACC.

The Judiciary also faced a similar logistical problem when more than 60,000 people applied for the 1,000 advertised clerical jobs and interpreters.

Last year, KDF recruited 2,000 personnel but almost 50,000 people turned up for the recruitment exercise conducted across all counties.

With statistics indicating that unemployment rates stand at 40 per cent, the situation can only get worse.

The World Bank estimates that about 800,000 Kenyans who graduate from various training institutions enter the job market annually, yet only about 70,000 or less than 10 per cent can be absorbed into formal employment.

How State milks millions from desperate job seekers

Umejibiwa hapo juu!! Kenyans, we don't look for employment we create employment, that is why we are an economic powerhouse, not like you!

 

[Edward Wanjala]

Acha kuongea pumba wewe, unaongea utadhani upo na wanafunzi wako humu.

How State milks millions from desperate job seekers

By Geoffrey Mosoku | Updated Sun, April 16th 2017 at 00:00 GMT +3

Huge numbers

Charging by the huge number of Kenyans applying for jobs, a single exercise attracting 60,000 persons may give the government about Sh282 million. These requirements cost about Sh4,700 per person to obtain. The amount includes Sh2,200 for CRB, Sh1,000 for good conduct, Sh1,000 for Helb and Sh500 for EACC.

The Judiciary also faced a similar logistical problem when more than 60,000 people applied for the 1,000 advertised clerical jobs and interpreters.

Last year, KDF recruited 2,000 personnel but almost 50,000 people turned up for the recruitment exercise conducted across all counties.

With statistics indicating that unemployment rates stand at 40 per cent, the situation can only get worse.

The World Bank estimates that about 800,000 Kenyans who graduate from various training institutions enter the job market annually, yet only about 70,000 or less than 10 per cent can be absorbed into formal employment.

How State milks millions from desperate job seekers

1. In any Interview, one post always attracts more than 15 applicants in a country with many graduates like Kenya, so you can imagine if 2,000 jobs are advertised countrywide, even 50,000 was very low

 

[Edward Wanjala]

Tanzanians should know that using your talent to enrich yourself is more profitable than working for another person.

 

[tuusan]

Tanzanians should know that using your talent to enrich yourself is more profitable than working for another person.

Atleast you have some point

Sent from my SM-J200H using JamiiForums mobile app

 

[kilam]

Umejibiwa hapo juu!! Kenyans, we don't look for employment we create employment, that is why we are an economic powerhouse, not like you!

Most of these workers operate under a high degree of informality and vulnerability, resulting in small and unpredictable incomes, poor working conditions and low productivity. Such informality is likely to trap people into poverty,” says the report.

 

[Edward Wanjala]

Most of these workers operate under a high degree of informality and vulnerability, resulting in small and unpredictable incomes, poor working conditions and low productivity. Such informality is likely to trap people into poverty,” says the report.

"Likely" is opinionated it doesn't justify the course. That is why in Kenya, the informal sector is much more paying than formal

 

[kilam]

"Likely" is opinionated it doesn't justify the course. That is why in Kenya, the informal sector is much more paying than formal

Kakojoe ukalale, hauna hoja ya msingi hapa.

 

[Edward Wanjala]

Kakojoe ukalale, hauna hoja ya msingi hapa.

Wewe vipi tena unaanza kujiaibisha bure

 

[1academ]

Mitanzania bwana daah, bashite bado anadunda apo darisalama!!
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