Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua has announced that the government has overseen the creation of over 6.2 million jobs across various sectors of the economy.
Speaking during this year’s Labour Day celebrations held in Vihiga County, Dr Mutua provided a detailed breakdown of employment figures. He addressed a large crowd, including President William Ruto, asserting that the administration's economic programmes are yielding tangible results for Kenyans.
The Public Sector Backbone
According to the Cabinet Secretary, the public service remains a significant employer. The sector currently supports 1.895 million jobs.
Within these figures, the education sector saw a boost with over 128,000 teachers employed. Furthermore, county governments across the country have provided livelihoods for approximately 60,000 people.
"Let me give figures because figures don't lie," Dr Mutua told the gathering. "Currently the public service has employed 1.895 million people. We've created... 1.895 million jobs."
Housing and Infrastructure Success
A cornerstone of the current administration’s agenda, the housing sector, has emerged as a major driver of manual and technical labour. Dr Mutua revealed that 640,442 people are now employed within this sector.
The construction industry, separate from the specific housing projects, has added a further 50,000 jobs.Additionally, the Kazi Majuu initiative has been credited with creating 583,868 jobs as of the end of April.
Digital and Service Industry Growth
The Labour CS also highlighted the impact of the digital economy. As the government pushes for more remote and online work opportunities, the digital sector has already created 316,086 jobs.
The hospitality industry remains a heavyweight in the private sector. Dr Mutua noted that hotels and restaurants across Kenya now employ 1.5 million people.
Key Sector Job Statistics:
- Public Service: 1.895 million
- Hotels and Restaurants: 1.5 million
- Housing Sector: 640,442
- Manufacturing: 443,000
- Digital Jobs: 316,086
- Transport and Communication: 75,000
Future Outlook
The manufacturing sector has also shown resilience, contributing 443,000 jobs to the national total. Dr Mutua suggested that these figures are likely to grow as official data is refined.
"If you add the figures that I've mentioned... we are talking about over 6.2 million jobs created by your government," he stated, addressing the President.
The Cabinet Secretary expressed confidence that when the Bureau of Statistics completes its full audit—taking into account the Hustler Fund and various national programmes—the job growth figures could reach double digits.
Labour Day, or International Workers' Day, is observed annually on 1st May. In Kenya, the national celebrations move to different counties each year to decentralise the event.
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