Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has urged African employers and businesses to take the lead in advancing social justice by creating jobs, promoting inclusivity, and upholding ethical governance.
Speaking at the Africa Employers’ Summit held at Emara Ole Sereni Hotel in Nairobi on Monday, Kindiki emphasized that businesses must go beyond profit-making and focus on empowering communities while addressing unemployment.
Africa at a Demographic Crossroads
Kindiki emphasized that Africa stands at a demographic and economic crossroads, with its youth population projected to reach one billion in 2063. Without sufficient jobs and income opportunities, he warned, the continent risks fueling youth unrest – a challenge already linked to property destruction and rising business costs.
“The youth unemployment challenge presents the greatest opportunity for the social justice agenda. We must unlock the transformative potential of business not just to profit, but to empower,” Kindiki said.
Businesses Called to Drive Inclusivity
The two-day summit runs under the theme “Empowering Business to Advance Social Justice.” Kindiki urged companies to include inclusivity in their operations through offering women, youth, and persons with disabilities more opportunities in leadership and employment.
He also urged companies to extend their influence outside boardrooms through encouraging environmental protection and climate resilience. According to him, Kenya’s Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) can only succeed if the private sector actively complements government programmes targeting youth.
To unlock new opportunities, Kindiki encouraged companies to explore partnerships in sports, the creative economy, and other subsectors that could generate income for young people. He noted that such ventures not only create jobs but also inspire innovation and expand Africa’s global influence.
Adopting Procurement Quotas and Supporting Young Graduates
Kindiki further challenged companies supplying goods and services to government to embrace the 30 percent procurement quota for women, youth, and persons with disabilities, similar to Kenya’s Access to Government Procurement Opportunities (AGPO) programme.
He also called on firms to provide internships, dual training, and mentorship opportunities to fresh graduates, saying these initiatives would help align academic programmes with the realities of the job market.
“It would be inspiring to see business enterprises recognising and profiling those who espouse values of integrity, honesty, hard work, transparency and care for others as part of joint anti-corruption actions,” he added.
A Shared Vision for Africa’s Future
In his closing remarks, the Deputy President rallied businesses to embrace a collective vision where the private sector becomes the most dynamic driver of social transformation and shared prosperity.
“This is the Africa that the world must look to,” Kindiki declared.
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