Kenya Reaffirms Commitment to Protecting Kenyans Living Abroad

Kenya’s State Department for Diaspora Affairs has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the rights and welfare of citizens living and working abroad.

The department’s Welfare and Rights Division held a re-tooling and knowledge-sharing forum on Wednesday to strengthen its institutional capacity and support continuity during a leadership transition. Officers used the session to review the division’s mandate and assess how it can respond more effectively to the changing challenges facing Kenyans overseas.

Outgoing Director Emma Gicheha, drawing on her institutional experience, called for coordinated and people-centred approaches to addressing the diverse protection needs of Kenyans abroad. She said effective coordination and the preservation of institutional knowledge were essential as demand for welfare support increases.

The support provided by the division includes consular assistance, counselling and protection against exploitation in foreign labour markets. Incoming Director Dr David Katiambo and Head of the Counselling Unit Peter Burugu also attended the forum. Their participation marked a leadership transition intended to preserve institutional knowledge while bringing new perspectives to the division’s work.

The department said the meeting enabled officers to strengthen their understanding of the division’s responsibilities and reaffirm their commitment to protecting the dignity and rights of Kenyans abroad. Kenya has increasingly recognised the diaspora as an important constituency in national development.

While remittances remain significant to the economy, the government has also sought to address the wider welfare needs of citizens living overseas. These needs include access to psychosocial support, protection from exploitation and other vulnerabilities, and mechanisms for responding quickly to crises affecting Kenyans abroad.