Rising Crime in Nairobi is a Result of Rising Youth Unemployment, Not Youths Hawking in the Streets
Governor Jonstone Saka Should Address the Root-cause of Crime in Nairobi
In recent years, Kenya’s capital city of Nairobi has seen a rise in crime rates. This is largely due to the high levels of youth unemployment in the city. With few opportunities for gainful employment, many young people have turned to crime in order to make a living. This has led to an increase in the number of robberies, muggings, and other violent crimes.
Since it stole elections, the UDA government has not made any effort to address the issue of youth unemployment. Instead, the regime abandoned the “Kazi Kwa Vijana” project that kept the youth busy through street cleaning gigs. At the moment, it is impossible to imagine that the current crime rate will go down because the youth are idle, broke and frustrated. Instead of raising hopes that crime rate in nairobi will go down, Nairobians should be bracing for more muggings, roberiries and deaths at the hands of criminals because the problem of crime is so huge that police cannot handle the crisis.
The problem of youth unemployment in Nairobi
Youth unemployment is a major problem in Nairobi. The unemployment rate for young people aged 20-30 is estimated to be as high as 80%. This is incredibly high, given that the youth are the majority in Nairobi.
There are several reasons for the high youth unemployment rate in Nairobi. One of the most important factors is the lack of skills and qualifications. Many young people in Nairobi have not completed secondary education and lack the skills that are needed to find a job.
Another factor is lack of job opportunities. There are simply not enough jobs available for all the young people who are looking for work. This is especially true in the informal sector, where most jobs are located. The government is doing nothing to create jobs while job creation in the private sector is dead since the job market is already saturated.
The high youth unemployment rate in Nairobi has serious consequences for the city. One of the most serious problems is the rise in crime. Young people who are unable to find a job are often forced to turn to crime in order to make a living. This has led to a significant increase in the crime rate in Nairobi in recent years. The situation is not expected to change because there is no indication that the government is working to create jobs for the youth.
For example, the government has no plans to invest in construction and industry because it is broke. President Ruto, who heads the Uda bandwagon, has publicly said that the government needs to borrow ksh 900 billion because it is broke.
Secondly, the government has wrong priorities on the table. Instead of investing in job-creating opportunities for the youth, the government is engaged in in 10 million Dollar projects to participate in the war in DRC where Kenyans soldiers were sent this week to fight in a foreign country.
Needless to say, the high youth unemployment rate is also having a negative impact on the city’s economy. Young people who are unemployed are not able to contribute to the economy. This has a knock-on effect on the city’s overall economic growth.
The link between youth unemployment and crime
The rising crime rate in nairobi is not a consequence of the city’s growing population. It is a consequence of poverty and lack of vision of the UDA government. UDA politicians are working on increasing their salaries, the government has increased the price of maize floor (unga) and fuel prices by removing subsidies. Under the circumstances, survival in nairobi has become a life and death issue especially to the youth who have converted crime into a way of life.
There is ample evidence to suggest that there is a link between youth unemployment and crime. A recent study by the Kenyan think tank, the Institute for Economic Affairs (IEA), found that there is a strong correlation between youth unemployment and crime in Nairobi.
The study found that the vast majority of young people who are involved in crime are unemployed. In fact, of the 1,000 young people surveyed, only 3% were employed.
This is not surprising when you consider the fact that many young people turn to crime out of desperation. Without a steady income, they are unable to meet their basic needs, such as food and shelter.
What is more, the study found that the vast majority of young people who are involved in crime come from poor families. This is another indication of the link between poverty and crime.
The IEA study is just the latest in a long line of research that has shown a strong connection between youth unemployment and crime.
For example, a 2016 study by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) found that there is a direct correlation between unemployment and crime rates.
The UNODC study looked at data from over 100 countries and found that, in general, countries with higher levels of unemployment also had higher rates of crime. In light of this research, it is clear that the link between youth unemployment and crime is very real. So, what can be done to address this issue?
First and foremost, governments need to do more to create jobs for young people. This can be done by investing in sectors that are likely to create jobs, such as agriculture, manufacturing, and tourism.
Removing hawkers from the streets of clearing survivors from bridges the way nairobi governor has done is n not the solution. This move will worsen the solution because there is no evidence that youths who were earning a living by selling mechandise along the roads are thieves.
Governor Sakaja is worsening the problem because by ending their businesses, the Governor is increasing the number of youths who cannot help themselves and thereby creating more criminals.
Secondly, governments need to provide training and education opportunities for young people. This will help them to acquire the skills that they need to find employment or get self employed. The government must have a plan to fund youth start-ups for those who have skills or provide vocational training to youths. Removing youths from the streets is not the solution.
Thirdly, governments need to provide social safety nets for young people. This will help to address their basic needs of food clothing and shelter. Without cushoning the youth against economic hardships, the oprion of crime is the only option on the table.
The impact of rising crime on the city of Nairobi
In 2017, the Nairobi’s crime rate was up by 5% from the previous year, with a total of 9,689 cases reported. This increase was a cause for concern for residents of Nairobi, as it made the city a less safe place to live in.
In 2016, the government launched a nationwide Youth Employment Stimulus Program (Kazi Kwa Vijana), which aimed to create 800,000 jobs for young people. Sadly, the UDA government has abolished this programme, leaving the youth with no other option but to engage in crime.
In addition to unemployment, other factors that are thought to contribute to crime in Nairobi include poverty, drug abuse, and the availability of firearms. There is also a lack of trust in the police force, which makes people less likely to report crime. The police are corrupt and the public has lost condfidence in the force.
Crime rate is making the city less safe and causing people to feel less secure in their homes and businesses. The increase in crime is also having an economic impact, as businesses are losing money due to theft and vandalism.
Governor Sakaja Should Address Unemployment Problem by Creating Jobs, not Displacing Street Youths
Governor Sakaja should focus on creating jobs for the youths of Nairobi. This would not only reduce crime, but also help to improve the overall quality of life for the people of the city. There are a number of ways that this could be done, such as:
1. Investing in businesses that provide employment for youths.
2. Providing training and support for youths who wish to start their own businesses.
3. Working with the private sector to create internship and apprenticeship programs.
4. Establishing a fund to provide seed money for youth-led businesses.
Investing in construction and industry. This is the known and tested way of creating jobs. By investing in the youths of Nairobi, Governor Sakaja can help to reduce crime and improve the quality of life for all residents of the city. Cleaning the streets of youths hawking mechandise to survive is not the solution.
Ken Ogutu
