“Our estimates show that if the workers [10 million micro- small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) within the informal sector] were as productive as those in the formal sector, they would be generating Sh6 trillion a year, which is 60 per cent of GDP….” - Kenya Kwanza manifesto. This statement best captures the challenge of decent jobs in Kenya. 

Lack  of decent jobs is slowing down poverty reduction (target 1.1) and is an increasingly important concern for the young population in Kenya. Decent jobs are fundamental to development and achieving  the SDGs.  

A focus on creating decent jobs will trigger investments in sustainable agriculture systems (target 2.4), modern energy (target 7.1), digital public infrastructure (target 9.2) and in other sectors of the economy. This may also trigger new industries, for example in research and innovation.

For Kenya’s economy to create decent jobs, there needs to be a thriving private sector as labour productivity is much higher in the formal than in the informal sector. Skills development is also fundamental to the transition to decent jobs. Other measures that could help create decent jobs in the formal private sector include assisting firms access skills, technology and information, for example through technology transfer programmes, improving the business and investment environment and making it easier for firms to access finance.

Kenya is pursuing a Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda 2022-2027, commonly known as BETA. BETA is anchored on five pillars – Agriculture (target 2.4), MSMEs, Housing (target 11.1), Health care (target 3.8) and the Digital and Creative Economy (target 9.1). These are in line with  access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services, and also to upgrade slums (target 11.1).

When combined with the fact that this is being implemented in the context of devolved governments, housing and basic services in a decentralized setting will improve significantly. That also means that the definition of basic services will be expanded in order to achieve the aims of BETA to include for instance the public digital infrastructure.

Whereas there are already established mechanisms to track and monitor BETA’s performance, Kenya will consider a Quarterly SDG Scoreboard that informs Quarterly SDG Conversations at key levels of governance. This will improve BETA’s delivery and accelerate the achievement of the other SDGs, while taking care of the trade-offs. 

The issue of effective, accountable and transparent institutions is about the role of the state in delivering public services to its citizens.  The Government of Kenya views responsive institutions at all levels, including foreign missions (target 16.8), as a critical ingredient to build a globally competitive and prosperous economy, a just and cohesive society and a democratic political system that protects the rights and freedoms of every individual.

Kenya may want to track the public service experience of its citizens – digitization (target 9.1), health (target 3.8), education (target 4.1) -, for example, on a quarterly basis. This could be part of a Quarterly SDG Scoreboard that could inform the Quarterly SDG Conversation.  It is through such a process that any corrective measures can be undertaken at different levels, including at the Cabinet level.

With a Quarterly SDG Scoreboard and Quarterly SDG Conversations, Kenya can establish higher goals in terms of citizens’ satisfaction with public and private services; and expand the basis of what public services should be. With this done at County and National level, it is expected that most of BETA priorities will be delivered.