Frustrated Kenyan Envoys Demand Dedicated Budget for Diaspora Rescue Missions

Kenyan diplomatic representatives stationed abroad are demanding the government allocate a dedicated budget for emergency rescue operations involving Kenyan citizens in distress overseas.

Several ambassadors described being unable to assist stranded Kenyans due to insufficient funding. One envoy recounted using personal funds to help a trafficking victim return home from the Middle East.

The Foreign Affairs Committee has recommended the Treasury consider establishing a Diaspora Emergency Fund, potentially funded through a levy on passport applications.

Kenya’s diaspora population is estimated at over 4 million. Diaspora remittances hit a record Sh620 billion last year, underscoring the community’s economic importance to the nation.