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News release

Health, cost of living, and unemployment are top priorities for Kenyan youth, latest Afrobarometer survey shows

27 Sep 2024 Kenya
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News release
Key findings
  • Health tops the list of the most important problems that Kenyan youth (aged 18-35) want their government to address, followed by the increasing cost of living, unemployment, corruption, crime and security, and education (Figure 1).
  • Eight in 10 young Kenyans (80%) have secondary or post-secondary education, compared to 43%-58% of older cohorts (Figure 2).
  • Despite higher educational levels, 43% of Kenya youth are unemployed and looking for jobs, compared to 11%-32% of older age groups (Figure 3).
  • Young Kenyans are less likely to contact an MP (16%) than their elders (22%-24%), suggesting a potential gap in political engagement among this age group (Figure 4) o Kenyan youth are also less likely than their elders to have voted in the last election (61%), to feel close to a political party (44%), and to join others to request government action (23%) (Figure 5).

Health, the increasing cost of living, and unemployment are the top challenges that young  Kenyans want their government to address, according to the latest Afrobarometer survey in  the country.  

Despite having higher education levels than previous generations, Kenyan youth are also  experiencing higher unemployment rates. 

When it comes to political engagement, youth are less likely than their elders to vote, to join  others in demanding government action, to identify with a political party, and to reach out  to members of Parliament.