List of public and private sectors with the highest number of salaried workers in Kenya

• The education sector stands out as the leading employment sector in Kenya, occupying an important place in both the public and private gainful employment sectors
• As of 2023, the total labor force in Kenya included 3,138,300 wage earners and 172,400 self-employed and unpaid family workers
• Despite increased government spending on the affordable housing program, the public sector construction industry showed relatively low employment levels – only 9,700 contract workers

Elijah Ntongai, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, has over three years of experience in financial, business and technology research, providing insight into trends in Kenya and the world.

The Kenya Bureau of National Statistics has released the 2024 Economic Survey, revealing data on the employment status in Kenya.

According to the report, the total number of wage earners in Kenya from 2019 to 2023 was 3,138,300 in 2023, of which 172,400 were self-employed and unpaid family workers while 16,685,600.

The leading industries with the highest levels of public sector employment were Education and Public Administration and Defense.

These are the mandatory social security sectors which accounted for 44.9% and 34.6% of total employment in Kenya.

The most important industries with the largest number of employees

The following number of employees applies to persons employed on a monthly salary basis.

Private sector

1. Production: 340,600 employees
2. Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles: 270,700 employees
3. Education: 234,600 employees
4. Construction: 226,300 employees
5. Information and communication: 145.6 employees
6. Human health and social work activities: 115,500 employees
7. Activities of households as employers; undifferentiated activities of households producing goods and services for their own use: 119,300 workers
8. Accommodation and catering activities: 97,000 employees
9. Financial and insurance activities: 71,900 employees
10. Professional, scientific and technical activities: 68,400 employees

Public sector

1. Education: 445,400 employees
2. Public administration and defense; compulsory social insurance: 343,900 employees
3. Human health and social work activities: 53,500 employees
4. Agriculture, forestry and fishing: 41,900 employees
5. Transport and storage: 23,100 employees
6. Production: 21,700 employees
7. Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply: 16,100 employees
8. Financial and insurance activities: 11,300 employees
9. Water supply; sewerage, waste management and reclamation: 10,200 employees
10. Construction: 9,700 employees

It is worth noting that the number of contract workers in the public sector construction industry remains low despite increased spending on affordable housing programs.

Increase in the number of construction workers in Kenya

Previously, TUKO.co.ke reported that Kenya’s construction sector grew by 3.0% in 2023, a slight decline from the 4.1% growth recorded in 2022.

Growth in the construction sector was largely driven by increased government spending, particularly on the Affordable Housing Program.

Employment in construction increased by 1.9%, from 231.7 thousand people in 2022 to 236.0 thousand in 2023

Source: TUKO.co.ke