This archive report was first published on 3 August 2020.
Unemployment Protests Turn Violent in Kisumu ¶
On August 3, 2020, a group of youths stormed the Kisumu Public Service Board offices in a protest over employment opportunities.
The youths, who were reportedly mobilized by a local political party branch chairman, vandalized property and harassed staff members, leaving several injured, including the board's chairman, Charles Babu Karan, and four others.
The incident occurred just months after the board's chairman, Karan, had warned the public against con men who were swindling prospective job recruits in the county, asking for amounts between Ksh10,000 and Ksh50,000 and invoking the names of some board members.
The youths' protest was sparked by the county's high unemployment rate, which has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many youths have been pushed to crime due to the lack of job opportunities.
However, the government's initiative, the National Hygiene Program (NHP) dubbed Kazi Mtaani, which was launched to cushion the youth, has been marred by issues with several youth from various parts of the country citing unfair recruitment and lack of pay.
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