Kenya to establish six diaspora resource centres abroad

The Kenyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced plans to establish six diaspora resource centres at select missions abroad to assist citizens in distress. The initiative, part of the State Department for Diaspora Affairs (SDDA) medium-term plan, aims to operationalize two centres annually between the 2027/28 and 2029/30 financial years.

This rollout follows a period of slow progress where only one centre was opened in Thailand, missing the previous target of two. The department has designated this project as one of its top 14 priorities to safeguard the rights and welfare of Kenyans living overseas.

To fund these efforts, the SDDA is requesting significant budgetary allocations from the National Treasury, including Ksh1.75 billion for 2027/28, rising to Ksh2.06 billion by 2029/30. Recent data indicates the department has previously evacuated and repatriated 4,928 Kenyans from over 20 nations, including Sudan, Myanmar, Thailand, and Saudi Arabia.