How Government Can Join The Dots On Job Creation

In my last article, I introduced Moraa, a skilled mechanic who is also an owner of a small garage somewhere in Nairobi West.

Like many other entrepreneurs, Moraa is facing challenges that are worsened by the outbreak of Covid-19. In these circumstances, she is just months from a helpless “Serikali Saidia!” (Government help me) appeal.

But speaking of the Government, is Moraa aware of the initiatives in place for people just like her? Do others who are in her situation know that there are life changing opportunities that could elevate their businesses to the next level? Here we are talking about the thousands of ambitious entrepreneurs across the country; from fundis with small construction companies, cooks with expanding food kibandas, and other young hard working Kenyans.

But besides this demographic who are entrepreneurial and have created their own jobs, there is another group of skilled, talented youth, like a TVET graduate called Kiptoo, who are seeking to be employed by business people like Moraa.

And finally, there is yet another category of brilliant youth, also looking for employment, and have graduated from the local universities, like Wanjala an accountant, Njeri a lawyer and Ahmed, a marketer.

Who better to connect these youth, hungry for a chance to realize their dreams, than their own government?

And the government already has what it takes! In fact it is just a matter of piecing the puzzle pieces together. In this instance, Moraa, Kiptoo, Wanjala, Njeri and Ahmed will benefit from the combined efforts of Cabinet Secretaries George Maghoha, Betty Maina and Simon Chelugui.

Imagine a pathway that connects the good but isolated work of the Ministry of Education, The Ministry of Industrialization and the Ministry of Labour.

Allow me to break this journey down. The Ministry of Education takes Kiptoo, who is their scholarship beneficiary and has graduated from the Kabete Polytechnic Motor Vehicles Mechanic Program, and links him to the Ministry of Labour, for an apprenticeship program with Moraa, a motor garage owner who has been linked to the Ministry of Labour by the Ministry of Industrialization Trade and Enterprise Development. The loop closes further when the Ministry of Education links Wanjala, Njeri and Ahmed to the Ministry of Industrialization to support Moraa’s motor garage, as well as many other small enterprises.

This seemingly complex connection is actually quite straightforward. The TVET graduate (Kiptoo) benefits from experience through an apprenticeship and eventually a job. The MSME (Moraa) benefits from skilled labour and therefore increased productivity, as well us business development support services from the university graduates (Wanjala, Njeri and Ahmed) who benefit from a job working for Moraa and many others. Moraa can now access additional funding because the account has put her books in order and the lawyer has ensured that she has met statutory requirements. Her output is increased since she has a skilled worker, and her services are selling because she has a committed marketer.

In this way, the government ministries have closed the loop of job and enterprise creation by providing three-dimensional support, and will have spurred a sustainable domino effect of job and wealth generation.

Jane Mwangi, CEO AJW Africa, 7 August 2021