Kenyans Can Work In 3 Different Jobs At Once- CS Owalo
According to the ICT CS, the country was venturing into the newfound gig economy
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ICT Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo on Wednesday, July 5 alleged that Kenya has reached an era where its citizens can work at multiple jobs at the same time instead of having permanent and pensionable jobs.
Speaking to Citizen TV's Jeff Koinange during the JKLive show, Owalo believed that Kenyans do not need permanent jobs, especially from the government, in an era of digital technology.
According to the ICT CS, the country was venturing into the newfound gig economy where one for instance can work at a certain job in the morning, another in the afternoon, and the last one during evening hours while earning an income and growing the career of oneself.
“We are going to have a gig economy, which is a situation where you can be working for three different entities at the same time," he stated.
ICT CS, Eliud Owalo speaking during a meeting with the UNDP Innovation Officer in the Regional Bureau for Africa, Dr Eleni Z. Gabre-Madhin, and the UNDP Resident Representative, Anthony Ngororano on June 28, 2023. /FACEBOOK.ELIUD OWALO
“It does not make sense anymore in this era of technology for somebody to be working for one individual under permanent and pensionable terms.”
The CS further noted that the government was laying down the necessary infrastructure to accommodate the fast-growing tech sector which will blow open a window of opportunity for Kenyans.
Owalo reckoned that President William Ruto's government can leverage digital technology to generate 1 million jobs for the youth.
“We have the potential of creating 1 million jobs through digital laboratories for the youth. We have had meetings with Members of Parliament and County Assemblies to set the digital labs at every ward,” Owalo explained his vision to tackle unemployment.
With the government's intervention, Kenyans can work for up to three companies in a day, promising to have everything up and running through a digital platform.
Explaining why he needed Kenyans to hold more than three-day jobs, Owalo argued that the move was to bring in more Kenyans to the income bracket. He added that the gig economy would alleviate the need for Members of Parliament (MPs) to go from government to government lobbying jobs for their constituents.
Cornered to explain if that was a pipe dream, the CS noted that the plan was already in operation and a digital lab launched in Kabete had enabled youth to earn Ksh200,000 through e-commerce.
Owalo also expressed that the government would partner with global companies to enable Kenyans to work remotely without having to move countries to operate on-site.
His sentiments come amidst plans by employers to implement other tactics in terms of sourcing for labour to help run their businesses even as fears grow regarding a reduction in job listings across social media platforms owing to the tax provisions in the currently-suspended Finance Act 2023.
"There is a trend among some employers of quiet hiring, where HR professionals look for potential hires on online platforms based on social engagements and so on, so be proactive in the communities you find yourself in and be careful about the kind of content you post," Yusuf Saleh, a Human Resources (HR) strategist, revealed during a Citizen Digital Twitter space on Tuesday, July 4.
A recent report by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) revealed that around two-thirds of jobless Kenyans gave up looking for work or starting businesses, disheartened by lower opportunities in a tough economy that has seen many firms freeze hiring to survive.
Another report by Trends and Insights For Africa (TIFA) released on Tuesday, July 4 went on to reveal that nearly one-third of Kenyans who are now jobless have never been employed (31%), with some others now jobless having worked in the past (8%). Most of those working are self-employed (29%), with only about one in ten employed full-time (11%).
According to the survey, 13 per cent of Kenyans earn between Ksh10,000 and Ksh20,000 while ten per cent account for those who earn between Ksh20,000 and Ksh50,000.
On the other hand, three per cent earn above Ksh50,000 and 24 per cent noted that they earn below Ksh10,000. 38 per cent stated that they did not draw any salary in 2022.
