The government recognises the enormous contribution of the Kenyan Diaspora in the country’s economic development through remittances, President William Ruto has said.
Addressing representatives of Kenyans from 27 countries across the world at State House, Nairobi, on Monday, the President said the remittances Kenyans abroad send home are the largest resources that come to the country.
Saying diaspora remittances are more that the earnings from tea, tourism and coffee, the President pointed out that these resources play a critical role in supporting families, are invested in our economy and also help raise the country’s foreign reserves.
In 2024, President Ruto disclosed, remittances reached a record high of $4.95 billion (KSh638 billion) up from $4 billion (KSh516 billion) in 2022.
Likewise, he noted that the Labour Mobility Programme has facilitated the employment of nearly 400,000 Kenyans abroad in the past two years.
“We know who these people are, where they are, what jobs they do and how much they earn,” he pointed out.
The President said the government has made it easier for people who get jobs abroad to get passports in less than a week.
To streamline the process of job recruitment abroad, President Ruto announced that the government has deregistered 1,000 agencies that were defrauding job seekers.
At the same time, he urged Kenyans living abroad to be good ambassadors of their motherland.
The President regretted that some Kenyans talk ill about their country as if they had another motherland.
He said Kenyans living in foreign countries are role models to people of other nationalities, and pointed out that the government is doing its best to provide the support they require in their countries of residence.
President Ruto told them to be brand champions of their country.
“I want you people to be brand champions of our nation to woo investors to our economy,” he said.
He commended the critical role played in national development by Kenyans in the diaspora.
He said the government attaches great importance to the diaspora and appreciates the close bonds they maintain with the country.
The President noted that his administration has developed instruments of engagement to bolster relations with the Kenyan Diaspora to enable them to invest in key projects in Kenya.
President Ruto said the Kenyan Diaspora is considered the single biggest asset outside the country.
“The support you are giving to your families, and the role you play in the initiation of development projects in your respective communities, is part of nation building,” he said.
