Deputy President Prof. Kithure Kindiki speaking to residents of Kakamega at Mukumu grounds during an economic empowerment programme on JUly 18, 2025/KNA
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki affirmed that the Kenya Kwanza administration is on track in creating adequate job opportunities to absorb the unemployed Kenyans.
Speaking in Kakamega during an economic empowerment programme on Friday, Kindiki said that in the last two years, the government has employed many Kenyans in different sectors as more opportunities are opening up with the revival of industries and development of infrastructure.
He said the government has employed more than 76, 000 teachers in the last two years, with 24, 000 others set to be recruited in December, which will push the number of teachers employed to over 100, 000.
“This government is working hard to expand job opportunities for the youth. There is no government that has employed more teachers than this one. In the previous governments we were employing only 4, 000 teachers per year to a maximum of 5, 000,” he noted.
The Deputy President disclosed that the Affordable Housing programme has opened up job opportunities employing over 320, 000 Kenyans apart from providing decent homes.
He said those employed in affordable housing, which have also created a market for the Jua Kali artisans, include plumbers, carpenters, engineers, quantity surveyors and many others engaged in casual labour at the construction sites.
“The affordable housing programme has three main objectives: to construct affordable houses, to build modern markets and to construct hostels for students. We are constructing hostels for students of Masinde Muliro University as well as for students of Sigalagala National Polytechnic,” he noted.
Prof Kindiki also mentioned the Kazi Majuu Programme which has so far enabled 400, 000 youth across the country to get jobs abroad.
He confirmed that President William Ruto has ordered the Youth Enterprise Fund to provide funds for youth who are recruited in the Kazi Majuu programme, to cater for medical examination fees, money for passports, and air tickets in order to secure the open slots abroad.
“All these programmes are meant to expand the job opportunities for our youth in order to reduce the number of unemployed youth,” he pointed out.
He noted that the other ICT Jitume labs established across the country are enabling the youth to acquire digital skills and take up online jobs.
“You have seen we have revived collapsed sugar factories and we have begun reviving other industries so that farmers and workers are paid on time and receive bonuses just like tea and coffee farmers,” he explained.
The Deputy President also noted that, in partnership with the county government, the national government is constructing a gold processing factory in Ikolomani, which, once complete, will create many jobs for the youth.
He said the construction of the Kakamega Level 6 hospital and the commitment to complete the Bukhungu stadium, construction of markets, and construction of roads across the country are a clear demonstration of the government’s commitment to uplift the living standards of Kenyans.
Others, he said, include the ClimateWork programme and the Community Health Promoters initiative, through which the government recruited over 110, 000 CHPs to strengthen primary health care.
“This is the right time to stand with the electorate. We have said we shall not wait, as we create more opportunities, we are moving across the country empowering women, youth and the elderly to boost their businesses so that they can sustain themselves and their families,” he added.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi urged citizens from western Kenya to strengthen cooperative societies in order to pool their efforts and grow the economy.
He decried the weak state of the cooperative movement in Western Kenya, noting that many people are missing out on the benefits of a sector that has over 15 million members and a capital base of Sh1.5 trillion in Kenya.
“We, as a region, are weak in the cooperative movement. I want to encourage you; let us build strong cooperatives so that we can mobilize better resources, pool our efforts, and grow our economy,” he added.
