Kenya’s Youth Are Locked Out While Retirees Stay in Office

By Joseph Lister Nyaringo

Kenya today faces a troubling contradiction. On the one hand, the country boasts one of the youngest and most energetic populations in Africa. On the other hand, thousands of young, educated Kenyans remain locked out of meani
ngful employment while public institutions continue to accommodate individuals long past the official retirement age. The frustration brewing among young people is not merely about unemployment but about a system unwilling to renew itself.

Available data from the Public Service Commission of Kenya paints a worrying picture. More than 4,500 Kenyan civil servants are reportedly above the mandatory retirement age. Universities alone account for more than 800 employees who remain in office beyond the legal retirement threshold.

This reality raises an uncomfortable but necessary question: why are these positions not opened to younger professionals who are eager to serve and capable of bringing fresh energy, skills and innovation to public service?

Kenya’s youth are greatly talented. The country produces thousands of graduates every year from universities, colleges and technical institutions. Many are technologically skilled, globally aware and ready to contribute to national development. Yet for many of them, the pathway into the labour market remains blocked by entrenched bureaucratic systems and a political culture reluctant to allow generational transition.

Instead of confronting this structural challenge directly, the political leadership has increasingly framed overseas employment as a solution to youth unemployment. The government frequently celebrates the number of Kenyans securing jobs abroad, particularly in the Gulf states, North America and Europe. During a recent visit to Siaya, President William Ruto cited about 300,000 Kenyans working overseas as evidence of opportunity.

This narrative, however, deserves deeper scrutiny. Labour migration in itself is not inherently negative; remittances from the diaspora contribute significantly to Kenya’s economy. But when a government begins to showcase the export of its labour force as a central employment strategy, it’s a negative signal.  

No serious developing nation should aspire to export its most educated citizens as a primary policy objective. Many Countries in the West built strong economies by investing heavily in research, manufacturing, technology and industrial productivity. Their prosperity rose through creating conditions in which talent could thrive domestically.

Kenya possesses enormous potential in these sectors. The country has a tech-savvy generation that has demonstrated remarkable innovation—from mobile financial technology to digital entrepreneurship. Yet this potential remains underutilised because the structures required to harness it are either weak or absent.

The government once presented the expansion of ward-level ICT hubs as a transformative initiative. Piloted by former Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo, the project aimed to connect young people across the country to cyberspace by providing digital skills, innovation spaces and access to online opportunities. Yet the public deserves clarity: how many Kenyan wards are currently enjoying this wonderful service?

A similar question hangs over the Open University of Kenya, launched with great promise as a regional centre for online learning. These initiatives were hailed as game-changers, but without transparent updates on implementation and outcomes, they risk becoming yet another chapter in Kenya’s long history of ambitious ideas that fade before they take off.

Kenya does not suffer from a shortage of bold announcements but from weak follow-through. Every major initiative should be accompanied by rigorous monitoring, evaluation and impact assessment to ensure accountability and continuous improvement. Without this, we risk appearing like a society that talks the talk but rarely walks the walk.

Equally important is what emerged from President Ruto’s May 2024 visit to Silicon Valley in US. The trip was intended to attract American technology companies to invest in Kenya’s digital economy. Kenyans deserve to know whether that diplomatic effort translated into tangible investments capable of generating employment and innovation at home.

Many Kenyans increasingly view migration abroad not as a choice but as a necessity. I write from personal experience, having lived in the United States for more than sixteen years. Like many Kenyans in the diaspora, my decision to seek opportunities abroad was not born out of disdain for my homeland. Rather, it was shaped by restricted opportunities, bureaucratic inefficiencies and the lingering sense that merit alone could not open doors.

Against this backdrop, recent events in Siaya struck many young people as deeply ironic. Ida Odinga, wife of the late Prime Minister Raila Odinga, recently accepted a diplomatic role representing Kenya at the United Nations Environment Programme despite being well past the official retirement age.

During the same event, she spoke passionately about the struggles facing Kenya’s youth. The message itself was valid: youth unemployment remains one of the most serious challenges confronting the country. Yet for many young Kenyans, the symbolism appeared contradictory rather than reassuring.

If leaders truly care about the future of the youth, they must sometimes demonstrate that commitment through personal example. Declining opportunities that could empower a younger generation can be a powerful gesture for generational renewal.

Since assuming office, President Ruto has introduced several youth-focused initiatives, including affordable housing programmes, the Nyota Fund and Pesa Mfukoni. In theory, these programmes are commendable. In practice, however, many remain surrounded by uncertainty, limited transparency and allegations of political manipulation.

Earlier initiatives, such as the Access to Government Procurement Opportunities (AGPO), the Youth Enterprise Development Fund, and the Kenya Youth Employment and Opportunities Project, were also launched with enthusiasm but continue to face implementation challenges and corruption allegations. Kenyans are now watching how the World Bank-supported National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) programme will finally deliver meaningful results.

Kenya’s youth are asking for fairness, transparency and genuine access to opportunity. A country with such a dynamic young population should treat that demographic strength as its greatest asset. Unlocking that potential requires deliberate policies that prioritise generational transition and institutional integrity.

Lister Nyaringo is a Kenyan living in Washington, US