Influence of COVID-19 Curfew Measures on Youth Socio-Economic Development in Turkana Central Sub-County, Kenya

Abstract

This study examined the influence of COVID-19 curfew measures on youth socio-economic development in Turkana Central Sub-County, Kenya. Anchored on Erik Erikson’s Psychosocial Development Theory, the study explored how these disruptions affected youth identity formation, productivity, and social integration. A convergent parallel research design was adopted to study a target population of 25,918 youth (aged 18–35 years). Using the Krejcie and Morgan formula, a sample size of 379 respondents was determined. Stratified random sampling was utilised for the quantitative survey, while purposive sampling was used to select participants for Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS, while qualitative data underwent thematic analysis. The findings revealed that curfew measures severely strained youth livelihoods by triggering a 49.6 per cent reduction in informal jobs, which were poorly compensated, 78.4 per cent reduced business hours due to movement restriction, slashing incomes to 90.6 per cent as it affected salaries and wages, limiting credit access to 51.8 per cent due to lack of collateral, and escalating transport costs to 53.2 per cent due to high fuel cost. Youth in the informal sector, particularly in boda boda (motorcycle) transport, fishing, retail, and Jua Kali (informal manufacturing) enterprises faced the most severe economic hardships due to movement barriers and collapsed market opportunities. The study recommends collaborative interventions between the government, financial institutions, and development partners to foster recovery through affordable credit, entrepreneurship support, digital inclusion, and targeted skills development.