The East African nation of Kenyan will be putting in place a Ministry of Diaspora to help tackle the issue Kenyans outside the country face while also looking to further grow the remittances into the country. President William Ruto while making the announcement, also stated that the decision was made as a result of numerous complaints that Kenyans in the diaspora, have not received the focus they deserve.
President William Ruto during his inaugural address not long after taking the oath of office as the fifth (5th) President of the Republic of Kenya, made it known that “The focus has been on remittances, while their fundamental rights as citizens have been neglected.”
President William Ruto added that, “To correct this oversight, I pledge to elevate diaspora issues at a ministry level.”
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During the period between January 2022 to July 2022 diaspora remittances into Kenya increased from 250.4 billion Kenyan Shillings to 283.6 billion Kenyan Shillings, signifying an increase of thirteen (13) percent.
The United States (US) is current the largest source of remittance to Kenya. It makes up fifty nine (59) percent of the total sum of remittances sent to Kenya so far in 2022.
President William Ruto stated that the Kenyan government will be fortifying its diaspora services at all embassies, put a system in place that will encourage public participation from Kenyans who live abroad.
Kenyans in the diaspora will also be more involved in elections in the future as the President stated that the Kenyan government will liaise with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to ensure that the number of registered voters in the diaspora increases from the 10,444 total that it is at right now.
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President William Ruto added that the Kenyan government will partner with the Parliament of Kenya to create a committee for the sole purpose of dealing of diaspora matters.
The Parliament of Kenya has already put in place a seperate committee aimed at addressing the challenges faced by Kenyan students, migrant workers and dual citizenship holders living outside Kenya. This was done in response to the situation faced by Kenyan domestic workers in the Middle East.
It is believed that the committee on Diaspora and Migrant Workers will crystallize before the year is over.
The committee will be tasked with handling all issue pertaining to the welfare of Kenyans in the diaspora as well as the protection of their rights.
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The team which is made up of fourteen (14) members, will deal with everything encountered by Kenyans schooling abroad, Kenyan migrant workers, and Kenyan nationals who have dual citizenship.
The creation of an independent committee is occurring at a point in time when there has been an increase in the number of Kenyans relocating abroad in pursuit of a better life even with the continued reported cases of mistreatment by a number of employers in the Middle East.
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The number of Kenyan youths looking for jobs outside the country have also increased and is believed to be a direct result of the current unemployment levels. It is estimated that around 1.2 million youths in Kenya join the labour force each year.
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