Why we must tackle youth unemployment urgently

Unemployment presents a challenge for global economic growth and individual countries’ advancement. Lack of jobs for the youth has been cited as one of the causes of radicalisation, with idle youths turning to terrorism for a sense of identity and financial security. In Africa especially, unemployment and underemployment are major obstacles to full utilisation of human capital resources, significantly affecting the continent’s chance at industrialisation and GDP growth.

In the run-up to the 2013 polls, the Government pledged a 7-10 per cent growth rate in the first two years in power so as to create a million new jobs for the youth. Their campaign manifesto, dubbed ‘Uchumi’ - provides targets for growth and development through a myriad ways in which upon assumption to office would build an enterprise economy.