Policy Brief No. 39 of 2023/2024 on Makueni County Brief on A Review of Youth Employment Programmes

Abstract

Makueni County had a total population of 987,4053 people with a population density of 121 persons per square km as at 2019 (Table 1). The youth were estimated at 328,830 (50.4%) with a large share (90.3%) residing in rural areas. The overall poverty rate for the county is slightly lower at 35.0 per cent compared to national level of 36.1 per cent as of 2015/16. In 2021, Makueni poverty rate increased to 39.7 per cent, which was higher than the national rate of 38.6 per cent. Youth poverty rate was at 28.0 per cent and 39.8 per cent in 2015/16 and 2021, respectively, compared with the national youth poverty rate at 28.9 per cent and 34.2 per cent in 2015/16 and 2021, respectively. Notable improvements were observed with the proportion of stunted children decreasing from 25.1 per cent in 2014 to 19.8 per cent in 2022. Although there has been a decrease in the number of stunted children in the county, it is still higher than the national average of 17.6 per cent. The high stunting rates in the county has implications on children’s optimal cognitive and psychomotor development, human capital development and eventual labour force participation and productivity in the subsequent years.