How Kenya's 47 Counties Plan to Attract Investment from Citizens Abroad

The national government plans to establish dedicated diaspora liaison officers across all 47 counties to help channel investment from Kenyans abroad directly into local community projects.

The proposal emerged from discussions between Ambassador Ann Wanjohi, Director of Liaison and Partnerships at the State Department for Diaspora Affairs, and Fatma Mohamed, Director of Programmes for Intergovernmental Relations at the Intergovernmental Relations Technical Committee.

Under the proposed plan, county administrations will create specific focal points to coordinate initiatives with overseas communities. The officers will help align local development needs with the financial resources, skills, and technology of Kenyans living abroad.

The State Department for Diaspora Affairs said the two agencies discussed using existing intergovernmental structures, such as Sector Working Groups and Sector Forums, to integrate diaspora priorities into County Integrated Development Plans, annual work plans, and budgets.

To test the system, officials plan to launch a pilot scheme in selected counties before expanding it nationwide. The pilot will use shared performance indicators, regular reporting, and joint monitoring mechanisms to track how effectively local governments use diaspora contributions.

The initiative supports the Kenya Diaspora Policy 2024, which the government officially launched in March 2025. Updating the earlier 2014 framework, the current policy outlines measures to protect workers abroad, lower remittance costs, facilitate safe labor mobility, and support returning migrants.