Hustler Economy Created 848k New Jobs In 2023, KNBS Survey

• President William Ruto's administration vowed to revive the economy and create job opportunities for Kenyans
• The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) report showed that employment in the country grew to 20 million in 2023
• The Economic Survey Report 2024 indicated that more than 848,000 new jobs were generated during the period

TUKO.co.ke journalist Wycliffe Musalia brings over five years of experience in financial, business, and technology reporting, offering deep insights into Kenyan and global economic trends.

More than 800,000 Kenyans were employed in the year ending December 2023.

The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) Economic Survey Report 2024 showed that 848,200 new jobs were generated during the same period under review.

Which sectors recorded growth in employment?

Key sectors that registered growth were modern and informal industries, with the exception of small-scale farmers.

"Employment in the modern and informal sectors, excluding small-scale farming and pastoralist activities, went up from 19.1 million in 2022 to 20.0 million in 2023," read the report in part.

New jobs created in the modern sector grew by 4.1% to 122,800, while self-employment grew from 168,100 in 2022 to 172,400 in 2023.

In the informal sector, 720,900 new jobs were created, accounting for 85% of all the new jobs created in 2023.

Kenya's total employment

The country's total employment for the year, excluding small-scale agriculture and pastoralist activities, stood at 20 million in 2023, up from 19.1 million recorded in 2022.

Wage employment in the modern sector increased by 4.1% to 3,138,300 persons in 2023.

"Manufacturing, Agriculture; Forestry and Fishing, and Wholesale and retail trade; and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles were the leading industries in the provision of wage employment in the private sector, accounting for 15.9%, 14.1% and 12.6% of the total private sector employment, respectively, in 2023," the report continued.

Employment in accommodation and food services grew by 27.8% attributed to increased international arrivals and domestic tourism.

Other industries that recorded marked growth were water supply, sewerage, waste management, and remediation activities.

Public sector employment increased by 5.9% in 2023 compared to 1.6% in 2022.

The education sector reported the highest growth of 10.9%, mainly due to the large number of teachers hired by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).

Human, health and social work activities registered a growth of 5.1%.

Ruto's job plan

In May 2024, President William Ruto said the government plans to expand broadband services and digital hubs to bolster the country’s IT-enabled services and global competitiveness.

Ruto reiterated that the government’s commitment to digital skills training and job creation in the IT sector promised a brighter future for Kenya’s youthful workforce.

The head of state appealed to investors to collaborate with the government in its programme of installing digital hubs.

Proofreading by Nyambura Guthua, journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke

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The number of new jobs created during President William Ruto's first year in office grew to over 848,000.

Hustler Economy Created 848k New Jobs in 2023, KNBS Survey - Tuko.co.ke

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