President Uhuru Kenyatta has met Kenyans in Belgium and assured them government’s commitment in addressing diaspora interests.
The President has made it clear that all Kenyan embassies must bring Kenyans in the diaspora together and identify their needs.
The missions are also required to update the diaspora on important developments in Kenya as well as the country of accreditation, changes in the laws and Kenya’s relations with other countries.
“Kenya places great value on her diaspora and my Government has continuously called on all Kenyans wherever they are, to work together and stand united as one,” said the President when he addressed Kenyans in Brussels, Belgium, on Thursday night.
He said the Government values the contribution of the Kenyan diaspora in the national development agenda and continues to build ways to integrate their input.
“It is important to note that the diaspora provides considerable support through remittances. In fact, the Central Bank of Kenya has reported that remittances increased by 11.2 percent in the last one year,” said the President.
The President said that the Government is putting in place mechanisms to enable Kenyans living in foreign nations to enjoy the provisions of the Constitution that provide for dual nationality and voting rights.
“The Government is putting in place mechanisms to ensure that these rights become a lived reality for all. Equally important is the right to citizenship for children born of Kenyan women and foreign fathers outside Kenya. A right that had for a long time been denied,” said the President.
Foreign affairs Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed and Kenya’s Ambassador to Belgium, Mr Johnson Weru, were among the speakers at the event.
