Thousands of veteran civil servants could face sudden joblessness following an explosive demand by Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei for the government to immediately enforce the mandatory retirement age. The move targets over 25,000 government workers currently over the age of 60, according to data from the Public Service Commission (PSC).

The controversial call thrusts Kenya’s intractable youth unemployment crisis into the spotlight, pitting the need for fresh talent against the value of institutional experience. “How can our youth get jobs if people are 60 years old and don't want to go home?” Cherargei questioned while speaking in the Senate. This argument taps into a deep well of frustration among young Kenyans facing a staggering unemployment rate.

A Bloated Wage Bill vs. Decades of Experience

The senator’s demand aligns with government efforts to tame a ballooning public sector wage bill, which consumes nearly half of all national revenue. The National Treasury has repeatedly warned that this level of spending is unsustainable and crowds out funding for critical development projects. Forcing retirements is seen by proponents as a swift way to reduce recurrent expenditure and open up the payroll.

However, critics warn that a mass exodus of senior staff could cripple public services by stripping away decades of institutional memory and specialized skills. Audits have previously found that hundreds of individuals remain in service past 60 due to expertise in niche areas or administrative delays in enforcing retirement policies. The mandatory retirement age is set at 60, though it extends to 65 for persons with disabilities.

The Youth Question and The Path Forward

The debate underscores the immense pressure on the government to address youth unemployment, a challenge that has been described as a "ticking time bomb." While the exact figures vary, the crisis is undeniable:

• The unemployment rate for Kenyans aged 15-34 stands as high as 67%, according to the Federation of Kenya Employers.
• Over one million young people enter the job market each year, many lacking the specific skills required by employers.
• A July 2024 report noted that approximately 25,879 public employees were between 56 and 60 years old, poised to retire within a few years.

While President William Ruto has previously directed that there be no service extensions for those who reach retirement age, the implementation has been inconsistent. The senator's call forces a confrontation with a complex issue that has no easy answers, leaving the futures of thousands of seasoned civil servants—and the hopes of a generation of young jobseekers—hanging in the balance.