Eldoret Municipality Board Chair Julius Kitur has suggested a potential solution to the rising unrest in Kenya necessitated by the high unemployment rates.
Kitur proposes that unemployed individuals under the age of 45 in Uasin Gishu County should receive a monthly stipend of Sh 15,000 to help them lead a sustainable life. He argues that this would help calm the discontent and anti-government protests that have been occurring. Kitur also suggests that projects planned by the government should prioritize youth to help bolster the economy.
“The President talked about cottage industries and as he is pursuing that, he must have a team that is thinking about cottage industries and industrial parks and what we are going to get and ensure it is managed well and youth get jobs,” Kitur stated.
Speaking on Saturday, July 22, the board chair spoke against the increase of salaries for high-ranking public servants and suggested a standard rate of Sh500,000 for MPs. Additionally, Kitur suggested that the retirement age should be 50 years to allow for a cycle of young people entering the job market. According to Kitur, implementing a stipend could help reduce the unemployment rate in Kenya.
The ongoing protests against the government have primarily focused on the high cost of living and the newly imposed taxes causing unemployed youths to join the demonstrations. According to the Kenya Private Sector Alliance, the protests which have resulted in looting, destruction, and damage to property, have cost the country Sh3 billion per day. Recent data from Statista reveals that Kenya’s unemployment rate is 5.5% as a result of the surging inflation rate and the high cost of living.
On June 18, President William Ruto signed agreements with Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Canada, and Barbados to create 1 million jobs for Kenyan youths in a bid to fulfil his campaign promise to end unemployment in Kenya.
Nepotism will Reign; and…
Nepotism will Reign; and Only relatives Will get the Money.
I totally disagree with that…
I totally disagree with that approach cause it creates dependency and kills innovation and hustling!!! People shouldn’t just sit around waiting for the government to feed them with the hard earned taxpayers money!!!
I totally agree with you @…
I totally agree with you @ Juju.Barring any disability, people should not get free money,just because there is fear of restlessness,social disobedience,and destruction from them. This would totally breed laziness,and dincentive to work.I hate to say it but most of these free money would go to waste if this happened.
The youth are not going to cause trouble unless they are incited by their so called leaders. We have youths in other countries that are economically worse than Kenya,but you dont see them causing mayhem… I totally attribute what is going on in the country to poor leadership.
The government should be creating incentives to work,and not killing incentives.Infact I would argue that a man in his 30s or 40s might be more in need of financial support if he loses or does have work,by virtue of the responsibilities they bear-generally speaking. And to suggest that the retirement age should be reduced to 50 is damn stupid.Life expenctancy in Kenya is no longer 55 years….
Lastly, how about unemployed women in that suggested age bracket,dont they need financial assistance as well.Or do they need to “riot” first? Please come up with briliant suggestions after sobering.
This is what I would call…
This is what I would call”soft hostage”.You want to pay these disruptive young men,just because you fear them.IF they break the law, lock them up ,with viboko.
We cannot cower to their threats.This would embolden them to get more disruptive in the hope of more “benefits”.
Iam not so naive as to ignore their plight.Yes idle youth especially boys can be trouble with their raging testosterone hormones pumping them.This is not a new phenomenon.The question is what is the gov.going to do about it? So far we can confidently say not much,or not enough.
The best solution is actually strengthening the family unit.Good character is built from a steady ,secure,and lovng home.I might add where baba na mama respect each other,and have good morals,and ethics.It’s not a guarrantee that kids raised is such homes will turn out to be model citizens,but is sure increases their chances dramatically.
This is a noble solution…
This is a noble solution that could turn the unemployed into a business environment. Note that many countries in Europe, by law have to pay unemployment money to all those under retirement age. How else would one buy food, rent etc
No one capable of working…
No one capable of working should be given free taxpayers money! I am all in for elderly, mothers and children in poverty, disabled and certain unfortunate and vulnerable categories. It’s absurd and irresponsible, killing the entire economy!!! We are a capitalist nation!!!
This isn’t south Africa…
This isn’t south Africa where whites control 60pc of high level jobs and most of the economy plus a terrible history of economic terrorism on blacks and a rich nation.
Can we copy something from Asian tigers again and implement? Kagame is doing great on economic front in a tiny nation. One example is farm land consolidation that upped incomes of farmers 10x, with cooperatives helping with marketing.
Don’t mention useless dictatorship bc China is highly developed without democracy. What is freedom in poverty?
Ujamaa aka socialism failed…
Ujamaa aka socialism failed in Tanzania and socialist republics! Implement this populist idea and the currency will fall further deeper than zimbabwe’s. Thats why stomulus packages are abhorred in any capitalistic economies ans have since shaken the most stable economies including the USA. See what covid funds did to Kenya, US and many other countries whose citizens and companies had ‘free’ access to these covid dollars!!