State rooting for online jobs to solve unemployment

NAIROBI, KENYA: Online jobs are the best solution for Kenya's high unemployment rate, a Cabinet Secretary has said.
Information Communication Technology Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru said Kenya's investment in expanding its capacity in the technology sector is slowly giving rise to opportunities for the over two million unemployed youth."As a government together with other partners we are always there as an equal partner.

Technology and innovation are the right ingredients to help us leap frog to the next level," said Mucheru. Mucheru further noted that from a survey carried out among 25,000 youth on digital online jobs, 60 per cent of their earnings were spent to further their education.

"This is clear evidence that we must embrace digital innovations or else our future generations will be left out on a lot of opportunities," said Mucheru.

Mucheru said that part of the frameworks put in place by the government in advocating for online jobs is to converge capacities of the East African nation: "Currently our regional markets are so fragmented hence difficult for many to benefit from the opportunities."

The CS was speaking during a stakeholder's forum organised by the University of Nairobi ahead of the Nairobi Innovation week scheduled for August 1-5.

UoN Vice Chancellor Prof Peter Mbithi noted that the event will give opportunities to young startups with an aim to unleash potentials of innovators through practical skills.

"We shall also be seeking to commercialise our research proposals and make this event an opportunity to revise our curriculum to align it with the ever changing market needs," said Mbithi.

ICT CS called open financial institutions to open their doors and invest in the potential businesses: "These innovations need to be funded. If they are left on the runway they will enter the market half-baked and there will be no value addition."

Standard Group, Barclays Bank, Equity Bank, Ministry of Education, Ministry of ICT and the Israel government are some of the sponsors of the event.

Over 1,500 delegates are scheduled to attend and it will run under the theme 'partnerships for innovations that truly impact people and societies.'