The State Department for Diaspora Affairs has requested an additional Sh400 million to support the evacuation of Kenyans facing dangers in conflict-affected regions, with officials highlighting Russia and Iran as priority areas. The funds, presented before the National Assembly Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Affairs, are intended to strengthen a structured repatriation programme focusing on the most vulnerable citizens, including children, while following strict evacuation guidelines.
The supplementary funding would raise the department’s budget from Sh717.8 million by Sh400 million, reflecting growing costs of repatriation and logistical challenges. State Department officials, led by Amb. Hellen Gichuhi, told lawmakers that recent operations have stretched existing resources, necessitating urgent financial support.
“We are currently evacuating 15 Kenyans from Iran to Turkey, which has already incurred significant costs,” she told the committee. “Among them were five children, who are being prioritised under our repatriation guidelines.”
Amb. Gichuhi stressed that government repatriation is guided by strict criteria and is not meant to cover all Kenyans abroad. “We prioritise children and distressed persons. It is not feasible to repatriate all Kenyans abroad, especially considering that over 500,000 reside in the Middle East alone,” she said.
Some lawmakers raised questions about the programme’s transparency and sustainability. Gilgil MP Martha Wangari pressed officials to explain how beneficiaries are identified and how the Sh400 million figure was calculated, calling it a matter of national interest.
Officials revealed that some diplomatic efforts in Russia remain confidential but confirmed that measures are in place to protect Kenyans from being conscripted into the Russia-Ukraine conflict. “We have agreements in place to prevent the conscription of more Kenyans into the Russia-Ukraine conflict,” the committee heard.
Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan urged caution, warning against an open-ended financial commitment. “It is not sustainable to repatriate all citizens in distress abroad. There must be shared responsibility, including working with international organisations such as the IOM,” he said.
The department also faces pending bills totaling Sh206 million, including Sh131.9 million for foreign air tickets, of which only 4.3 per cent has been cleared. Despite these financial constraints, officials reported a 100 per cent response rate to distress calls and ongoing engagement with multiple countries.
While advisories are issued to Kenyans in risky areas to leave voluntarily, government support is reserved for those in urgent need, the committee was told. The funding request will be deliberated further under the leadership of committee chair Belgut MP Nelson Koech, as pressure grows to ensure the safety of Kenyans caught in volatile regions abroad.
