President William Ruto on Thursday defended his administration’s jobs creation strategy, saying the government had deliberately designed programmes to create employment opportunities for young people both locally and abroad, with more than 530,000 Kenyans securing jobs outside the country over the past three years.
Speaking during an engagement with youth, the President said employment does not happen by chance but must be created through deliberate government policy and planning.
He cited the affordable housing programme as one of the key pillars of job creation, noting that thousands of Kenyans are currently employed in cement factories, steel plants and across the construction sector supporting the initiative.
“The housing programme was designed to give young people in Kenya an opportunity to work, and they are working,” Ruto said, adding that government has a responsibility to structure programmes that open up employment opportunities.He also highlighted labour export as a central component of his administration’s economic strategy, arguing that Kenya’s human capital is among the best globally. Ruto said Kenyan workers are highly sought after by multinational corporations due to their proficiency in English and ability to work with minimal supervision.
“If you speak to any multinational corporation anywhere in the world, if they have a choice to hire a Kenyan or somebody else, they will hire a Kenyan,” he said, citing global firms such as Microsoft as examples.To support overseas employment, Ruto said the government had overhauled the National Employment Authority, which he claimed was previously riddled with corruption, patronage and inefficiency. He said rogue employment agencies that exploited job seekers had been removed, and a “green channel” established to fast-track travel documentation for Kenyans seeking work abroad.
Under the new system, the President said passports can now be issued within three to five days, while job seekers without funds for air tickets can access government-facilitated support.
Ruto said that as a result of these reforms, more than 530,000 young Kenyans are currently working in countries including the United States, Germany, France, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Austria. He added that the figure stands at about 536,000, describing the achievement as a rebuttal to critics of his administration.
“As a result, today we are receiving an extra $1 billion from remittances from our diaspora Kenyans who are working,” he said, adding that increased remittances were strengthening the economy.The President also pointed to digital jobs as another growing source of employment, saying the government has partnered with global companies under the business process outsourcing (BPO) programme to create work opportunities through digital platforms, ICT hubs and innovation centres.
He cited a recent visit to Oman, where he said about 5,000 young Kenyans are working remotely for American companies, adding that the government plans to expand this footprint further.
“For a long time, we have been saying young people should get jobs, but we have not been clear where those jobs will come from,” Ruto said. “Today, I can tell you: in our digital jobs platform, in our housing plan and in our casual labour programme, you can get a job.”Beyond employment, the President said the government was also “democratising opportunities” by supporting youth entrepreneurship. He announced that 1,820 young people would benefit from a new programme aimed at enabling them to start and grow businesses, particularly in Machakos, Makueni and Kitui counties.
Ruto urged young Kenyans to believe in the country’s potential, saying sustained investment in jobs and enterprise would transform livelihoods and drive long-term economic growth.
