Activists fault government over safety of Kenyans trapped in Middle East conflict

As fighting intensifies in the Middle East amid the ongoing war involving the United States, Israel and Iran, Kenyan human rights activists are raising concerns over the government’s response to the safety of thousands of Kenyans living and working in the region.

The criticism follows remarks by Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi, who advised Kenyans caught in the escalating conflict to consider leaving the region using available commercial or repatriation flights at their own expense.

His comments have sparked outrage among activists and families with relatives working abroad, particularly in the Gulf region where a large Kenyan diaspora is employed in sectors such as domestic work, construction and hospitality.

Former Foreign Affairs CS Alfred Mutua has remained silent, abandoning his responsibility to safeguard the citizens his ministry once actively deployed,” Awino said.

He added that the government had effectively abandoned Kenyans who were encouraged to seek opportunities abroad but are now exposed to danger without adequate protection or evacuation support.

According to estimates, nearly half a million Kenyans live and work across the Middle East, making the region one of the largest destinations for Kenyan migrant workers.

Families with loved ones in the region are now urging the government to intervene and facilitate evacuation flights to help those trapped in the conflict zones return home safely.

Activists argue that the government’s message appears insensitive at a time when many Kenyans abroad are facing uncertainty and fear as tensions rise following retaliatory attacks by Iran against the United States and Israel.

Human rights activist Francis Awino said many families are anxious about the safety of their relatives in the conflict zone.

“We have fellow activists, youths and women crying because their kin are stranded in the war region,” Awino said.

He criticised the government for encouraging citizens to seek employment overseas but failing to provide adequate support during times of crisis.

“CS Mudavadi issued a callous directive that Kenyans must return at their own expense, a stance both insensitive and inconsistent with prior government advocacy for employment abroad.

Some activists have also accused the government of offering only limited support through social media advisories instead of presenting a concrete evacuation plan.

The concerns have further exposed policy gaps in Kenya’s migrant worker protection system.

The National Employment Authority (NEA) recently revealed that there is currently no legislation allowing the authority to repatriate Kenyans in distress abroad, despite the existence of funds meant for that purpose.

Appearing before the National Assembly Diaspora Affairs and Migrant Workers Committee, NEA Acting Director General Edith Okoki explained that recruitment agencies contribute Sh1 million annually to a fund intended to support emergency returns, medical evacuations and repatriations.

However, the fund has remained unused for more than a decade due to the absence of regulations guiding how it should be utilised.

“We have experienced challenges in utilising the money due to lack of regulations. We have not been able to touch the money for over ten years as there is no regulation to allow the same,” Okoki told the committee.

As a result, the emergency fund established when the authority was formed in 2016 has remained idle in bank accounts even as families struggle to bring home loved ones stranded in conflict zones.

The ongoing Middle East crisis has reignited calls for the government to establish clear legal frameworks to protect migrant workers abroad and ensure rapid response mechanisms during emergencies.