- Add new comment
- 1206 views
Principal Secretary for the State Department for Diaspora Affairs Roseline Njogu has pledged to advance the interests and welfare of the approximately four million Kenyans living and working abroad.
Njogu, a lawyer by profession, was appointed as the first PS for the newly created diaspora affairs department by President Ruto in November.
In a recent interview on Spice FM, Njogu said one of the department’s mandates is to promote continuous dialogue with the diaspora community by having conversations where they can give their views.
The principal secretary also said she is tasked with mainstreaming the diaspora’s involvement in national development processes.
“A big part of development processes is political participation. How can we get Kenyans abroad voting? Can we have conversations about having laws that allow them digital voting or have mailing ballots,” she noted.
Njogu further said her department will work to ensure the diaspora participates in the budget-making process, law reforms, and government initiatives such as the tree planting project.
She cited championing the rights and welfare of Kenyans in the diaspora as the most important part of her docket’s mandate. This entails ensuring they get government services delivered to them in ways that are fast, efficient, and cost-effective.
Njogu said her department is also keen on supporting those who lost their Kenyan citizenship before the promulgation of the 2010 constitution, which provides for dual citizenship, to ensure they regain it.
In addition, she said the government plans to offer support to Kenyans abroad to ensure they invest and save more money. This includes introducing infrastructure bonds that are friendlier to the diaspora, dollar-denominated bonds, and diaspora bonds.
“A big part of this is the setting up of a diaspora investment office that helps diasporans with a lot of the questions they have on investment,” she added.
Comments
What they should fix first is the ministry of land. We heard of cases where people in diaspora invest on land just to realize the title is fake or is owned by someone else.
Start with the Kajiado land office.
If you've never lived in diaspora you can't fix anything. The best gift you can give is find the number that would love real estate. Find them huge lands they could build estates on and supervise for them. Cut off the conman middle man..
The first priority should not be voting due to malpractices seen in the past. Madam Njogu, let's first of all set priorities right in the diaspora. May be matters to do with education, investment opportunities, marketing of Kenyan products abroad and also marketing products abroad that Kenyans really need at home. We are in a new world of changing technologies. Let's take advantage of this for the our benefit as Kenyans wherever we are.
Let's NOT put in too much politics here coz immediately tribalism will set in.
The first place to start with is the embassies.Clear the rot,and improve services.I understand that the staff at the Washington Embassy are still rude.Phone calls and Emails are never responded to.What is so hard about giving diaspora good service,noting the millions they send back to Kenya every month?
Well said @Maxiley. It is a big shame that nobody picks the phone in Washington, DC Kenya Embassy yet they are paying people to work there. That Embassy is a mess.
Agree with comment above that what they should fix first is issues of land purchased by us abroad. Right now I have two issues on land I bought. Ownership + conmen
I echo a common thread in the comments. Fix the land issues otherwise you're just bumping your gums.
Diaspora only need a working relationship. Like the issue of the new generation passports. Those outside Kenya should be around to continue using their current unexpired passports, until they expire. Eventually, the old ones will expire and the new gen will be the only passport. This craziness of Kenyans spending 700USD (airline and hotel) to get new gen passports need to be addressed.
Why not appoint a diaspora individual who actually understands the needs and complex issues that the diasporas faces?!? It’s absurdity!!!
Why should i have to travel all the way from Boston to Washington DC yet we got the power of digital internet and a functioning Consulate in NY?????? Why are phone calls never answered by the Washington DC offfice?????
Is it me of clueless is her? Me getting dizzy.