Frustrated by years of rejection, educated but unemployed young Kenyans are taking to the streets—and even storming offices—to demand formal jobs. In fact, many now send angry messages online or call government officials directly. Meanwhile, others stage physical protests outside PSC offices on Harambee Avenue. These actions reflect growing desperation among Gen Z graduates who see qualified peers locked out of opportunities—even as older civil servants near retirement.
But this crisis comes at a dangerous time. Over half a million public servants—more than 50% of Kenya’s one-million-strong civil service—are over 50 years old. Even worse, nearly 26,000 are aged 56–60 and will retire within three years. Yet, the system isn’t preparing for this turnover. As a result, critical skills aren’t passing to the next generation. Consequently, a leadership vacuum looms just as demand for public services grows.
The numbers tell a stark story. Between 2022 and 2025, 141,000 graduates applied for the Public Service Internship Programme (PSIP). However, only 21,409 got in—roughly 15%. And even then, many who completed internships didn’t land permanent roles. For example, in 2023/24 alone, 50,269 applied; just 8,650 were hired. On average, 90% of applicants for PSC-advertised positions get rejected. “The number of applicants was nearly ten-fold the positions available,” the report notes.
So, tensions have boiled over. Now, interns treat placement as a “legitimate right,” not a temporary opportunity. When denied jobs, some turn activist—organizing demonstrations, visiting PSC offices unannounced, or flooding officials with what they call “salaams” (a euphemism for aggressive online and phone messages).
Meanwhile, the PSC itself faces internal strain. Fifty-two percent of its own staff will retire in the next five years. At the same time, its staffing gap stands at 44%. Without new budgets, it can’t hire replacements. Therefore, understaffing cripples its ability to manage recruitment—not just for ministries, but also for TVETs and public universities.
Compounding the problem, political interference distorts hiring. High-profile roles—like Principal Secretaries, Ambassadors, and parastatal CEOs—often go to the well-connected, not the most qualified. Worse still, PSC audits uncovered over 2,000 forged academic certificates in the public service. As a result, authorities dismissed 449 officers and referred cases to the EACC and DCI for prosecution.
All this unfolds against deepening youth unemployment in Kenya. While national unemployment sits at 12.7%, youth joblessness soars to 67%—especially among 15–24-year-olds. Because Kenya’s economic growth remains sluggish, it simply can’t absorb the flood of new job seekers entering the labor market each year.
Still, Muchiri argues that fixing this requires more than policy—it demands political courage. “Effective leadership at PSC needs political acumen,” he writes. Leaders must balance transparency with discretion, resist pressure from powerful interests, and protect merit-based hiring—even when it’s unpopular.
Without urgent action, Kenya risks two parallel crises: a generation of disillusioned, jobless youth—and a civil service too old, too thin, and too compromised to serve them. As one protester might say: “We’re ready to work. Why won’t you let us?”
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