BAHATI, NAKURU
It is 7:00 AM on a chilly Tuesday morning in Maili Kumi. While the morning matatus roar along the Nakuru-Nyahururu highway, ferrying traders to the bustling markets, 26-year-old John Mwangi sits on a wooden bench outside a local duka, staring at his smartphone.Mwangi graduated from a premier university in 2024 with a Bachelor’s degree in Procurement. Today, his most consistent daily activity is checking his email for job alerts and refreshing WhatsApp groups for vibarua (casual day jobs) around Bahati Sub-County.”I have sent out over two hundred job applications in Nakuru town, Nairobi, and even locally here in Bahati,” Mwangi says, his voice carrying a mix of exhaustion and frustration. “Most times, I don’t even get a rejection email. It’s just silence. Sometimes I do construction work or load sacks of potatoes at the farm just to buy food. This isn’t what I envisioned when I was wearing my graduation gown.
“Mwangi’s story is not unique. It reflects a sobering reality echoing across Bahati and the larger Nakuru County: a burgeoning youth unemployment crisis that threatens the socio-economic fabric of our community.The Reality on the Ground: A Growing Crisis Despite Nakuru County being celebrated as a thriving economic hub with immense agricultural, logistical, and tourism potential, the job market has struggled to keep pace with the influx of energetic, educated young citizens.Nationally, data indicates that while the continent experiences shifting workforce dynamics moving gradually from traditional agriculture to the service and digital sectors the formal job market remains frustratingly tight. In Nakuru County, the shortage of formal employment has pushed hundreds of young people into the precarious informal sector, often referred to as the “hustler economy.”In Bahati, the lack of sustainable employment is taking a visible toll. Areas like Maili Kumi, Kabatini, and Bahati Center have seen an increase in young people idling at shopping centers during productive hours.
The economic stagnation does more than just drain wallets; it strains families and local security.Mama Njeri, an open-air grocery trader at the Maili Kumi market, shares her concerns as both a business owner and a parent:”We educate our children expecting them to help us in old age. But right now, I am still feeding my two sons who completed college. Business is slow because the youth in this area don’t have purchasing power. When the young people have no money and no jobs, crime starts creeping into our neighborhoods.”Local leaders and youth advocates acknowledge that the issue has reached a critical tipping point. During recent public participation forums on the county budget, the youth agenda took center stage, with many demanding targeted resource allocation for job creation rather than cosmetic empowerment projects.
Turning the Tide: What is Being Done? Addressing this issue requires shifting from a mindset of “seeking jobs” to “creating opportunities” and building relevant technical skills.
1. Re-imagining Technical Training (VTCs)The Nakuru County Government under Governor Susan Kihika has heavily prioritized upgrading Vocational Training Colleges (VTCs). With over 34 operational VTCs across the county, the focus is on providing free tuition and capitation to equip youth with hands-on skills like plumbing, electrical wiring, welding, and carpentry. These skills directly align with ongoing local developments, such as the national affordable housing projects being constructed in the region.
2. The Digital Shift and MentorshipInitiatives such as the county’s partnership with Ajiry Kenya and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) are training young people in Bahati and Nakuru Town East on digital literacy and business development. By teaching the youth how to generate and execute viable business ideas, local programs aim to turn job seekers into job creators. Furthermore, the Directorate of Youth Affairs has opened free recording and podcast studios to help the creative youth monetize their talents digitally.
3. National Capital InjectionsHelp is also arriving from national interventions. The rollout of Phase Two of the World Bank-financed National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) Project is targeting thousands of vulnerable, unemployed youths aged 18–29 in Nakuru and surrounding counties. Through this project, qualified youth entrepreneurs receive business grants of up to KSh 22,000 via digital wallets, alongside enrollment in social security savings like the NSSF Haba Haba scheme.
The Way Forward: Community-Driven Solutions
While government grants and vocational sponsorships are crucial stepping stones, solving Bahati’s youth unemployment crisis requires a sustained, multi-sectoral approach:Agribusiness Revolution: Bahati is inherently rich in agriculture. Young people must be incentivized and supported to move away from traditional, labor-intensive farming toward value-addition, smart agriculture, and agribusiness logistics.
Local Private Sector Mentorship: Established business owners within Bahati need to create structured apprenticeship and mentorship programs, giving local youth their first vital piece of work experience.Access to Affordable Credit: Beyond one-off grants, continuous access to low-interest community revolving funds will allow youth-led self-help groups to scale their startups into sustainable enterprises.The youth of Bahati do not lack ambition, brains, or brawn; they simply lack an open door. Investing in their potential isn’t just an act of political goodwill it is an economic necessity for the future of our county.
What do you think? Are you a young person living in Bahati? What challenges have you faced looking for work, and what solutions do you want local leaders to prioritize?Join the conversation in the comments section below or share your thoughts on our Kenya Insight media Facebook page.
