Nairobi, May 12 -- Kenya is standing at a defining moment for national development, and the stakes could not be higher.

While the conversation often centers on job creation, a recent report from World Data Lab reveals a far more sobering reality: only 8.6 percent of working Kenyan youth hold formal jobs, and even more alarming is the fact that 35 per cent of young workers, despite being classified as employed, remain trapped in extreme poverty.

This means the country is not only facing a shortage of jobs, but a deeper crisis of job quality and productivity. As we move further into 2026, the question is no longer whether our youth want to work, but whether we are bold enough to build a system that makes their work meaningful, dignified, ...