The search for better-paying jobs outside the country has left thousands of Kenyans facing abuse, exploitation, trafficking and other dangers, with the government forced to bring home nearly 5,000 citizens who fell into distress across the world over the past three years.
A new government report shows that 4,928 Kenyans were evacuated or repatriated between 2023-24 and 2025-26 after getting into difficult situations in foreign countries.
Some of the most worrying cases were reported in Myanmar, Cambodia, Russia, Iran and India, which have emerged as destinations of concern for Kenyans seeking employment opportunities abroad.
The State Department for Diaspora Affairs says 583 of the Kenyans assisted during the period were victims of human trafficking or smuggling.
Another 82 Kenyans were repatriated after their deaths abroad, while 239 others were evacuated from Cambodia and South Africa.
The figures are contained in the Subsector Medium-Term Expenditure Framework Report covering the 2027-28 to 2029-30 financial years.
The document reviews the work of the State Department over the last three years and sets out areas it plans to focus on during the next three years.
The number of Kenyans helped to return home came from more than 20 countries, showing the wide range of destinations where citizens have encountered problems while working or seeking employment.
Those countries included Sudan, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Tanzania, Qatar, Russia, South Africa, India, Iran, Sierra Leone, Jordan, the UK, Australia, Egypt, Spain and Somalia.
“Through repatriation and evacuation, the government protects the lives of Kenyans by reducing psychological and financial burden of the Kenyan diaspora in crisis as well as providing a structured path back home,” the report says.
Beyond getting citizens out of dangerous situations, the State Department offered support to Kenyans and their families affected by the crises.
A total of 1,569 Kenyans in distress and their families received counselling, psychological first aid and psychosocial support.
The assistance was provided through consular visits, outreach programmes, evacuations, repatriations and walk-in services.
For years, concerns over the treatment of Kenyan workers have largely focused on Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE.
However, the latest figures show that the problem is no longer limited to the traditional destinations for Kenyan migrant workers, with cases also emerging in Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe and other regions.
The State Department says the growing movement of young Kenyans into foreign labour markets is a major concern.
Many of those leaving the country have little money and limited support networks once they arrive abroad. Their strong desire to secure economic opportunities can also lead them to accept risky offers and employment arrangements.
The government says such circumstances can leave migrants open to sexual abuse and labour exploitation, particularly when they lack information or have little power to negotiate the terms of their employment contracts.
Diaspora PS Roseline Njogu said most distress cases involve Kenyans who entered foreign countries through irregular routes.
The government has also warned that criminal networks are taking advantage of labour migration to carry out activities across borders.
Some Kenyan workers have ended up in forced labour, drug trafficking, money laundering and online fraud, according to the report.
Weak enforcement of labour-mobility laws and irregular migration have been identified as part of the causes of the problem.
The report says the gaps have allowed unregulated labour migration to grow, putting Kenyan workers at risk of dishonest recruitment agents, exploitative employment arrangements and unsafe working environments.
The department says repatriation and evacuation remain part of the government’s response to protect Kenyans who find themselves in crisis while abroad.