A Youth Who Does Not Save For Tomorrow Is Preparing For Poverty To Come Uninvited — And Poverty, Unlike Rain, Doesn’t Ask For Permission To Fall

The youth of Kenya are exhausted. Unemployment hangs on our backs like a sack of wet sand. Crime stalks us in the alleys of desperation. Depression sings lullabies to our weary minds, and suicide whispers deceitful relief to too many. We are not okay. And when you’re trying to figure out how to eat today, how to dodge a rogue cop, how to survive a toxic workplace, or how to avoid being conned on your way to a gig, tomorrow becomes a blurry fantasy, like a vacation poster you can’t afford to believe in.

But in the chaos of surviving today, there’s a trap. Because while today devours our attention, tomorrow quietly prepares its invoice. It comes with wrinkles, with slower steps, with less tolerance for hustles and no tolerance for excuses. Retirement doesn’t ask for permission to arrive. It just shows up — and you better have tea, bread, and a pension ready.

Kenya’s pension ecosystem is still in puberty. It squeaks, it limps, it’s moody, and most importantly, it doesn’t know how to talk to young people. Ask any youth about retirement and you’ll get an answer that involves laughter, sarcasm, or a shrug. Only teachers, civil servants, some long-serving politicians, and men who retired from the military in the Moi era get real pensions. The rest of us? We rely on God, friends, or that one child who didn’t go to Qatar.

Read Also: The Only Way Kenyan Youth Can Secure Their Future Is To Save With NSSF, Kenya

This is where the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) comes in. And no, it’s not that thing your employer deducts and you never follow up on. It’s not that dusty institution in your parents’ stories. NSSF is the only national attempt we have to offer every Kenyan, regardless of status, a dignified tomorrow. It’s a safety net, not just for today’s workers, but for the broken, forgotten, and tired versions of ourselves that are coming.

Here’s the thing — you can predict the future. No tarot cards, no crystal balls. Just decisions. Join NSSF early. Save consistently. Choose the boring stability over fleeting thrills. Because if you don’t, retirement becomes a horror film where you’re the lead actor and every scene is a bill you can’t pay.

Statistically speaking, people without structured pension plans do not live more than three to five years after retirement. Not because they’re weak, but because the stress of poverty at old age is a silent assassin. Medical bills, lack of income, and emotional neglect from family take their toll. Compare that to someone with a structured NSSF payout — it’s not luxury, but it’s stability. It’s dignity.

Many youth argue that they don’t have formal jobs. Perfect. The new NSSF allows voluntary contributions. You can be a boda boda rider in Bungoma, a TikTok creator in Kilimani, or a poultry farmer in Vihiga — and still secure your future. Contribution is no longer a corporate privilege. It’s a hustler’s right.

The beauty of compound interest is that it doesn’t care how cool or poor you are. If you put Ksh 500 every month into NSSF from age 25, you’ll retire with over Ksh 750,000. Add that to dividends, interest accrued, and voluntary top-ups, and you’re talking real money. Real options. Real freedom. Not begging your children to “remember you.”

So why aren’t we joining? Because we think NSSF is slow, outdated, or corrupt. But let’s be honest — so is every other institution in Kenya. That’s not an excuse. That’s a challenge. Engage. Demand transparency. Use the app. Use the USSD code. Track your statements. Start small. Grow consistently. And shout when the system misbehaves. That’s civic responsibility.

NSSF is THE ONLY PLAN for us, the youth. Better than hoping your chama doesn’t collapse. Better than assuming your current side hustle will blow up. Because what if it doesn’t? Or worse — what if it does, and you still waste it all?

We live in a generation where everyone wants to blow up. But no one wants to build up. NSSF is for builders. Quiet, patient, focused builders. It’s not flashy. But it’s the most underrated flex. Retiring without debt, without begging, and without panic — that’s a boss move.

And it’s more than just money. NSSF gives you old age options. You can relocate, invest, mentor, volunteer, or even go back to school. You’re not locked into misery. You’re not at the mercy of monthly remittances from kids you sacrificed everything for, only to realize they, too, are just surviving.

Imagine if every Kenyan youth joined NSSF. The pool of national savings would explode. That money could fund infrastructure, lend to housing projects, grow our economy, and reduce dependency on debt. Our generation could rewrite Kenya’s retirement story.

So why should NSSF focus on the youth? Because we are its present and future. Without us, it dies. With us, it becomes a national treasure. And unlike your phone or those likes you chase online, NSSF will matter in 30 years. It’s the one “app” you install now, and thank you later.

Let’s flip the narrative. Let’s make retirement cool. Let’s normalize asking, “Are you on NSSF?” the same way we ask, “Did you see my reel?” Let’s teach pension the way we teach forex and crypto — with excitement and memes.

Because one day, sooner than we think, the hustle will stop. The strength will fade. And the only thing standing between you and despair will be the decisions you made today. Make the right one. Join NSSF.

Read Also: What You Need To Easily Access Your NSSF Benefits