Ruto's packed weekday rallies a sign of lack of jobs in the city

President William Ruto addresses Ayany residents and traders in Kibra, during his four-day tour of Nairobi, on March 13, 2025. [PCS] President William Ruto has worn a proud look as he stormed Nairobi in rallies in the last four days. The crowds have been massive and the Head of State loves it. On his social media handles, the President would brandish the multitudes he attracted during the tours, possibly aimed at his competitors as a show of might. But as he aimed to showcase his influence among sections of Kenya, Ruto's tour of the city possibly highlighted Kenya's unemployment crisis, which his government is struggling to address. Some would point this out when commenting on the Head of State's social media posts, arguing that Ruto ought to be worried that such masses would be available on ordinary working days. "Kasongo is happy seeing a crowd like this 'fills' his joy. These signs should worry the President. It is an indication there are no jobs in our country," "This huge crowd on a busy working day is a sign of high unemployment but because we have bad leaders, they take this as a sign of huge support," posted Gibendi Ramenya on Facebook. Another user on the platform called Nya Wi Ra, faulted the championing of his affordable housing programme, saying: "Those people cannot even afford the affordable housing you are talking about. Did such thoughts cross the President's mind? Basking in the glory of his handshake with former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, the Head of State seemed like he could use more of the joy he was experiencing, more of the "Ruto" chants. And so he kept the roadside engagements going.'' Economist Timothy Njagi argued that the crowds were "consistent with the state of the economy." "It is good that the President is getting someone to listen to him but it is sad that people don't have anything to do. Even in areas known to be busy like Eastleigh, no business can happen when the President is there," said Dr Njagi. Political risk analyst Dismas Mokua argued that such engagements were important for the Head of State and the nation. "Grassroots meetings give President Ruto the opportunity to engage in two-way communication with citizens. This is useful in public communications and citizens' engagement. ," said Mokua. Ruto's truce with Raila Odinga has secured crowds and warm receptions, months after his reign was threatened by a youth-led revolt against proposed tax hikes. The masses he meets appear equally ecstatic, evidenced by their raucous response to the Head of State's prompts. Many chase the President's entourage to the next destination with happy faces. But as the crowds listen to the President's speeches, there is an apparent anticipation that he will have something for them, perhaps a promise to secure them some kind of employment. And they exploded with cheer whenever such a pledge was made. Ruto has had a bagful of those in his 'development' tour of Nairobi, promising employment in the housing sector, his tree-planting project and the Nairobi River regeneration programme, which he told a crowd in Eastleigh on Monday will employ 30,000 youth. "I have told the contractor that those who will work in the affordable housing programme should be 2,000 youth from Mathare," he said. It is on the backs of such persons - the unemployed and 'hustlers' (small-scale businesspeople such as mama mboga and boda boda operators) - that Ruto rode to power. He issued lofty promises about creating a million jobs a year as he campaigned to be Kenya's fifth president. Fulfilling such a pledge, which some had argued as unrealistic, would have helped cut down the unemployment rate in the country. When the Head of State assumed office two and a half years ago, the country's unemployment rate stood at 4.9 per cent, according to a December 2022 labour force report by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. The World Bank estimated this rate at 5.4 per cent last year, with the employment rate among the youth standing at 8.4 per cent. The President has been adamant that his policies are working, with the government releasing a mid-term scorecard that highlights his administration's achievements. Among them includes job creation through several interventions in the priority sectors of his Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda: agriculture, health, housing, micro small and medium enterprises and digital superhighway and creative economy. In the scorecard released by the Office of Deputy Chief of Staff, Eliud Owalo, the housing sector has "stimulated economic growth by creating 244,232 jobs in the construction sector with employment rising to 261,976 in 2025 from 17,744 in 2022." The government also boasted about increasing the numbers of youth employed through the digital superhighway-driven programmes such as Ajira and Jitume, highlighting that more than 180,000 youth were employed between 2022 and 2025, up from about 40,000. Then there is the Hustler Fund, which the scorecard said had disbursed Sh63.5 billion to 26.3 million individuals and 196.8 million to nearly 60,000 micro and small groups, improving access to credit. The scorecard highlights spurring employment, as well as a labour migration programme that Owalo said had relieved pressure on the local job market. But there have been concerns about the reality on the ground, with the Federation of Kenyan Employers in January reporting that more than 5,000 Kenyans had been laid off in the last three years. "Employment and wealth creation is a key matrix for any administration. Kenyans have valid expectations that President Ruto will offer leadership in policy development and execution for purposes of employment and wealth creation," said Mokua. Njagi argued that Ruto had faltered in implementing his policies, even as he keeps promising more.

Ruto's packed weekday rallies a sign of lack of jobs in the city

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