Nearly half of Kenyan adults work full-time amid 17 per cent unemployment challenge

Part-time work accounts for 15 per cent of adults, while 10 per cent identify as students and 6 per cent as homemakers or family caregivers.
Among Kenyan adults, a significant portion report being engaged in full-time work, either as employees or through self-employment. According to the data, 25 per cent are in full-time jobs while another 23 per cent run their own businesses, highlighting that almost half of the adult population earns a livelihood on a full-time basis.
In addition, part-time work accounts for 15 per cent of adults, while 10 per cent identify as students and 6 per cent as homemakers or family caregivers. A small fraction of respondents—2 per cent—report being temporarily laid off, with only 1 per cent retired. These figures demonstrate that a majority of adults remain economically active in various ways.
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Despite this, unemployment remains a pressing concern, with 17 per cent of adults reporting being jobless and actively seeking work. When combined with those outside the labour force, nearly one in four Kenyans currently faces the challenge of not having stable employment. This underscores the need for policies that expand job opportunities and support alternative income streams, ensuring broader economic participation across the adult population.
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