The push to address youth unemployment has gained fresh momentum after a youth lobby petitioned Parliament to set aside Ksh300 billion in a supplementary budget for the 2026/27 financial year.
The proposal seeks to create employment opportunities and financial support for an estimated three million unemployed young Kenyans beginning in July 2026.
The petition was presented to Funyula MP Wilberforce Oundo by the Youth and Young Aspirants League of the United Green Movement Party (UGM) on Thursday, June 25.
The group wants Parliament to consider the proposal as part of efforts to tackle one of the country’s biggest social and economic challenges.
According to the petition, the request was deliberately submitted on the second anniversary of the 2024 Gen Z protests.
The group said the timing was meant to remind leaders of the demands raised by young people during the demonstrations, particularly the call for meaningful employment opportunities and better living conditions.
The petition argues that many of the young people who took part in the 2024 protests were calling for a future with dignity, stable jobs and improved economic opportunities.
Funyula MP Wilberforce Oundo photo Courtesy. | KBC digital.
It states that the concerns raised during the protests, especially youth unemployment, have not been adequately addressed.
Former Chief Justice David Maraga is among those who signed the proposal, which recommends the creation of what is referred to as the “Ukombozi Budget.” The proposed fund would be placed under the Social Protection sector and financed through a Ksh300 billion supplementary budget.
Under the proposal, the largest share of the money, amounting to Ksh168 billion, would support two million unskilled unemployed youth through public work programmes.
Each participant would receive Ksh7,000 every month for one year while taking part in the programmes.
The petition also proposes allocating Ksh60 billion to provide one-time grants of Ksh150,000 each to 400,000 skilled unemployed young people.
According to the proposal, the grants would help beneficiaries start small businesses and create their own sources of income instead of relying solely on formal employment opportunities.
Another Ksh36 billion would be used to provide vocational education and skills training for 600,000 young people.
The petitioners believe expanding technical and vocational training would equip more youth with practical skills needed in the job market while also supporting entrepreneurship.
The remaining Ksh28 billion would cater for administration and implementation of the programme, ensuring that the proposed initiatives are managed effectively across the country.
Beyond the financial allocations, the youth lobby is also asking the government to establish a national register of unemployed graduates, diploma holders and certificate holders.
The group believes such a database would provide accurate information about the number of unemployed young people and help guide future employment programmes and government planning.
The petition further calls for dedicated budget allocations to support youth skills development, innovation and enterprise. According to the lobby, sustained investment in these areas would improve employment prospects and strengthen Kenya’s long-term economic growth.
The petitioners argue that people aged between 18 and 35 make up about 67 per cent of unemployed Kenyans.
They also note that those below the age of 35 account for nearly three-quarters of the country’s population. In their view, this youthful population presents a major opportunity for national development if enough jobs and economic opportunities are created.
They maintain that investing in young people would not only reduce unemployment but also unlock the country’s economic potential by encouraging productivity, entrepreneurship and innovation.
The proposal comes shortly after President William Ruto signed the Finance Bill 2026 into law, approving the Ksh4.8 trillion national budget for the 2026/27 financial year.
The youth lobby is now urging Parliament to consider an additional supplementary budget focused specifically on creating employment opportunities for millions of unemployed young Kenyans.
