Tetu MP Geoffrey Wandeto has highlighted unemployment as the most biggest challenge facing Kenyan youths.
Speaking during an interview with Citizen TV on Tuesday, the lawmaker pointed out that the country's economy has not been able to generate jobs at the same rate as we produce graduates.
"This is a very serious issue. We produce hundreds of thousands of graduates from our universities, tertiary institutions, and TVETs every year yet there is no employment," he remarked.
"This is disheartening because, in other countries, many youths are recruited from universities, making it difficult to find jobless young people."
He proposed that the country should focus more on projects and programmes that create mass employment opportunities for our youth.
Wandeto cited the affordable housing project as an example, where the government aims to create up to a million jobs annually through this initiative.
He also suggested extending this approach to other labor-intensive projects such as construction endeavors, given Kenya's potential to create more jobs in the construction sector as a growing economy.
"We also need to explore ways to support our small businesses in creating more job opportunities for our people," he added.
Wandeto implied that empowering Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) is the quickest way to create jobs, as government jobs cannot be created rapidly.
He further proposed that creating a conducive business environment with easy access to affordable credit is crucial for SMEs to thrive and for the ease of doing business.
He mentioned that government and tax policies could play a role in safeguarding nascent industries and promoting locally manufactured goods.
"We need to broaden the horizons of our youth to consider alternative opportunities, especially self-employment," Wandeto emphasised.
He encouraged young people to shift away from the mindset of solely seeking formal employment and instead explore areas where they can become self-employed.
