Middle East crisis: Immigration seeks Sh400m to repatriate Kenyans as 15 evacuated from Iran

The State Department for Diaspora Affairs has asked MPs to allocate Sh400 million for repatriation of Kenyans stuck in Middle East and Russia following escalation of war.

Ambassador Hellen Gichuhi told the National Assembly’s Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Affairs that 15 Kenyans have already been evacuated from Iran and are on the road to Ankara, Türkiye where they will be flown back to Nairobi.

Ambassador Gichuhi said the 15 include five children, two students and Kenyans who were working in Iran.

“The State Department for Diaspora Affairs appealed to the committee to consider allocating Sh400 million for repatriation of Kenyans from the Middle East and Russia following the emerging situation there,” Ambassador Gichuhi said.

“We have more than 500,000 Kenyans working in the Middle East and the escalating war between Israel-US and Iran has seen many Kenyans request for evacuation.”

The Israel-US and Iran war which enters its 20^th day has escalated with Israel air strikes targeting Iranian gas and oil facilities while Iran retaliates with attacks on gas plants in Qatar and other neighbouring US allied countries.

Appearing before the committee chaired by Belgut MP Nelson Koech to defend their Supplementary Budget 1 for 2025/26, Ms Gichuhi said the Ministry facilitates Kenyans stuck in war zones but not necessarily pay for their flights back home.

She said the 15 Kenyans evacuated from Iran requested repatriation after a lot of businesses closed, employers took off and left them stranded in the middle of the war.

“More money is needed as we continue monitoring the situation in the Middle East. Many Kenyans have adopted a wait and see attitude,” Ms Gichuhi said.

“We have an evacuation policy in place. We usually start with children, the elderly and the vulnerable.”

She said so far, no Kenyan has been killed in the Israel-US and Iran war because ambassadors are on the ground helping Kenyans to stay safe, take shelter and follow rules.

Ms Gichuhi said the State Department for Diaspora Affairs is alive to negotiations that are ongoing with Russia with regards to conscription of Kenyans to fight in the Russia-Ukraine war.

She said Kenya had secured commitment from Russia stopping the conscription of Kenyans to fight along Russian fighters in Ukraine and had managed to repatriate some Kenyans from Moscow.

Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan had demanded to know why the government is spending millions of shillings to repatriate Kenyans who willingly joined the war or those who are working, earning and have savings.

“Kenyans fighting for Russia went there voluntarily, entered into contracts, and knew what they were doing,” Mr Hassan said.

“In other countries they are regarded as mercenaries because they were not lured. They should find their way back home. There must be a personal responsibility.”

Mr Koech, who was part of the delegation to Russia led by Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, said there are Kenyans who are working and earning decent salaries despite the negative news about deaths in Russian military.

“We met Kenyans living in Moscow and who told us very many positive stories about working and living in Russia,” Mr Koech said.

“It is not just the negative news from Kenyans fighting alongside Russian soldiers in Ukraine. Many Kenyans live and work in Russia and we will be tabling a report on the situation there.”

Ambassador Isiah Kabira, who accompanied Ms Gichuhi, said the ministry is aware of the intended deportation of Kenyans from the US, noting that the deporting country is supposed to shoulder the bills to see non-citizens out of their territory.

“If we deport aliens, we pick the bills as the government. The deporting country should pick the bills,” he said.

Ambassador Gichuhi said some of the challenges facing the State Department for Diaspora Affairs include human trafficking disguised as global migration, political conflicts in other countries, increase of right-wing sentiments and rise of nationalism, and unregulated recruiters and fake diaspora jobs.

She said the department has received Sh14 million in additional expenditure in the Supplementary budget 1, for repatriation.

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