The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbate the unemployment situation among Kenyan youth, President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday.

Kenyatta made the remarks in Nairobi where he presided over the virtual launch of Kenya's chapter of Generation Unlimited (GenU).

"A significant number of our young people are unemployed or underemployed, and this situation has been worsened by the COVID-19 crisis," the president said.

"I am also aware that our young people face significant structural, financial, or technical barriers that limit their access to sustainable jobs."

Kenya is one of only eight countries in Africa that have reported more than 20,000 COVID-19 cases, now standing at 23,873. The East African country has also reported 391 deaths.

The pandemic has forced many businesses in Kenya to send staff home while others slashed employee salaries.

Lockdown measures imposed to curb the spread of the virus compounded the situation, as Kenyans in self-employment also saw their businesses affected.

In his remarks on Wednesday, Kenyatta expressed optimism that GenU will assist the government in unlocking the potential of Kenyan youth.

"It is for this reason that I welcome GenU as a platform, which will enable leaders, partners, and stakeholders to make investments that will unlock the potential of Kenyan youth," he said.

GenU is a United Nations youth empowerment program launched in 2018 with the goal of ensuring that young people, aged between 10 and 24 years are either in school, training or employment by 2030.