President William Ruto has called on political leaders to stop misleading young people by blaming his administration for the country’s unemployment crisis, stating the problem was inherited and rooted in years of neglect.

Speaking on Wednesday during an inspection of the Police Housing Project in Kilimani, Nairobi, Ruto said it is dishonest to suggest that youth joblessness began under his leadership, arguing that past governments failed to formulate a clear strategy for job creation.

“People are trying to suggest that youth unemployment began when I became president. But was every young person employed before 2022?” Ruto asked the crowd.

He said what makes the problem appear worse today is the absence of a long-term plan in previous years to address the rising number of unemployed youths.

“What makes this issue seem bigger is that Kenya has never had a deliberate strategy to create jobs for the youth. I am the first to work on a plan to resolve it,” he said.

Ruto pointed to ongoing government efforts, saying several initiatives have already absorbed hundreds of thousands of young people across various sectors.

“Currently, 320,000 youths are working in the Affordable Housing Programme, 200,000 in digital jobs, and 400,000 have secured employment abroad through Kazi Majuu,” he said.

The president’s remarks come days after a report by Brighter Monday Kenya warned that despite the rising number of graduates entering the job market each year, employment opportunities remain scarce due to a mismatch between academic qualifications and market needs.

The report, published on July 4, 2025, revealed that while nearly two million graduates join the workforce annually, only about 800,000 jobs are created mainly in the private sector, leaving many without work.

It further noted that only 10 percent of Kenya’s workforce is in formal employment, and a large number of job seekers lack the practical skills required by employers.

Data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics paints an even more concerning picture, showing that the number of jobless Kenyans has risen to 2.97 million, marking a 3 percent increase since the 2022 general election, driven by slow hiring and stagnant wages.

According to the statistics, over half of the unemployed are aged between 20 and 29, with about 800,000 new job seekers entering the market each year