6 Counties Youths Are Most Likely to Get Jobs- Census

A photo of people walking along a Nairobi street.
A photo of people walking along a Nairobi street.

Based on an analysis of the 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census data, Kenyans.co.ke compiled six counties across the country in which Kenyans have better chances of making a living. 

The study revealed that Central and Eastern regions had higher job opportunities.

Hinging on the thriving agricultural activities and viable land, relatively good infrastructure, the region boasts the lowest unemployment rates in the country for members of the public aged between 18 and 34 years.

President Uhuru Kenyatta when he received the 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census results at State House, Nairobi in November 2019. Also present are from right Treasury CS Ukur Yattani, KNBS chairman Peter Nginga Kiguta and the KNBS Director General Zachary Mwangi.
President Uhuru Kenyatta when he received the 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census results at State House, Nairobi in November 2019. Also present are from right Treasury CS Ukur Yattani, KNBS chairman Peter Nginga Kiguta and the KNBS Director General Zachary Mwangi.
Daily Nation

Nyeri and Embu top the list of counties presenting the youth with job opportunities. As depicted in the census data, only 13 per cent of the youth eligible for employment in the duo lack jobs.

Nyandarua slots in at third place with 26 per cent unemployment, while Kirinyaga and Narok tie at 27 per cent. Muranga rounds off the top six with 29 per cent.

The research revealed that 29 counties, inclusive of urbanised ones such as Nakuru, Machakos and Kakamega, lie within the national average bracket of between 30 and 39 per cent.

The census data indicated that of 13,777,600 young Kenyans in the country, 38.9 per cent (5,341,182) are jobless.

Central Kenya's Nyeri, Kirinyaga and Murang'a which are among counties with the highest employment rate in the country, have their main interests in the agricultural, and trade sectors.

In an economy that is largely dependent on agriculture, dominance in the sector by the region is a key contributor to the number of jobs.

The just-released data ranked them as part of the most populous areas in the country, providing the required labour force to facilitate the growth of commercial activities in the region.

Huge dependence on informal skills means more youth seeking informal or casual employment have a better opportunity to get jobs. 

This can be in the farms as well as the processing and manufacturing industries set up to match the produce from the region.

The region enjoys an advantage of better infrastructure as compared to the rest of the country which dates back to the colonial era. This, along with the massive production capacity from the counties makes them some of the largest suppliers of the Nairobi metropolitan area.

Embu County which boasts an unemployment rate of 13 per cent, is heavily invested in the production of coffee, cotton, macadamia, and maize.

Coffee and macadamia make up a big part of the country's exports while the cotton feeds the existing textile companies in the country. The revenue has enabled the county to trim the unemployment margin.

Nyandarua, with a 26 per cent unemployment rate, dwells on agriculture, with a larger uneducated population employed by indulging in the sector.

The county creates an opportunity for youth in Kenya to seek jobs in the informal sector, as well as the mechanical and agro research fields, based on the facilities and research institutes that dominate the county.

Narok County makes the list, with an unemployment rate of 27 per cent. The county is one of the leading counties in the country in revenue generated through tourism. This is largely attributed to the Maasai Mara Game Reserve.

The county is also heavily invested in the agricultural sector, with dominance in the growth of cereals. 

In addition to the opportunities presented by the counties in relation to the sectors of the economy they major in, their population-to-consumption ratio also provides a great opportunity for members of the public opting to venture into self-employment.

The population-to-demand equilibrium offers a window for success in several other formal sectors. For instance, medical facilities or establishments would thrive in Narok County, and therefore a higher chance to be employed as a doctor.