After 13 years abroad, they returned with nothing

Kenyans repatriated from South Africa arrive at JKIA on July 2, 2026. [David Gichuru, Standard]

Thirteen years.

That is how long Margaret Nyambura spent building a life in South Africa. She arrived in 2013 chasing opportunities, raised her family from afar, built businesses and believed she had finally found stability.

But that was cut short as she jetted back into the country on Wednesday, with nothing to show for close to a decade and a half out of the country.

In fact, two hours after landing at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport she was still stranded at the corridors with no money to travel the final kilometres to her home in Kiambu.

She stoodby her luggage she had managed to save piled on the airport trolley contemplating of her stay cut short.  "I came back with nothing," Nyambura said.

Nyambura is among 50 Kenyans repatriated from South Africa on Wednesday after anti-foreigner attacks forced them to flee.  So far, the government has repatriated more than 400 Kenyans from SA since the anti-immigrant violence erupted in June.

When she first moved to Johannesburg, she worked as a house manager. The job ended after what she describes as years of mistreatment.

Determined to start afresh, she ventured into insurance brokerage before relocating to KwaZulu-Natal, where she started a small business selling chapatis.

The business became her family's lifeline as she says she sent money home consistently, supporting her eight children and paying bills from hundreds of kilometres away.

Then the attacks reached her neighbourhood. "They stormed the place where I used to cook chapatis and destroyed my business," she recalled.

For more than a week, she watched as fear spread through the community.

Foreign-owned businesses were targeted, looted or vandalised. People fled their homes, unsure whether the next attack would be theirs.

In all the years she had lived in South Africa, she says she had never experienced anything like it.

Her future now remains uncertain. Her youngest child was only four years old when she left Kenya in search of work. Today, that daughter is preparing to join Kenyatta University in August.

Instead of celebrating, Nyambura is wondering how she will raise the tuition fees. "I don't know where I will get the money to send my daughter to university. She is supposed to join campus in August," she said.

Margaret Nyambura at JKIA detailing how her house was ransacked  after a wave of violence against other African Nationals in South Africa. [Kanyiri Wahito, Standard]

Nearby sat another returnee who requested not to be identified.

He had spent years working as a self-employed plumber in South Africa. And had met Nyambura in the streets of Kwa-Zulu Natal where they forged a friendship which he says is more like family.

He, too was onboard the Wednesday plane and landed in Nairobi with only the clothes he was wearing.

Before leaving the airport, however, he had one priority. He was waiting for his brother to pick him up, but he insisted their first stop would be Kiambu to drop Nyambura before he could proceed home.

"She is like a sister to me. When you live in a foreign country for a long time and you know someone from your country, they become family. I told my brother we have to drop her in Kiambu first. If he cannot do that, then he should not even bother coming." he said.

The friendship had been forged far from home, where fellow Kenyans became each other's support system. His decision to flee came after witnessing violence that he says he will never forget.

He recalls seeing a Malawian national stoned to death prompting him to pack whatever he could carry and left.

He says many foreigners felt abandoned during the attacks by law enforcement as they watched while the attacks happened. "You will see foreigners being attacked and the media or police are there watching and will do nothing about it," he said.

Even so, he does not believe the violence represents South Africa as a whole.

According to him, the attacks have been driven by a small but vocal group that has exploited anti-immigrant sentiment ahead of South Africa's municipal elections scheduled for November 4.

He alleges that in one locality in KwaZulu-Natal, political rhetoric fuelled attacks against foreign-owned businesses. "I lost almost everything. I came back with only my clothes, literally just my clothes." he said.

Asked whether he would ever return to South Africa, his answer came without hesitation. "No. What would I be going back to? There is no need."

For now, he says he has no plan for what comes next. He only wants time to process everything that has happened before deciding how to rebuild his life.

A man arrives at JKIA on July 8, 2026 after a wave of violence against other African Nationals in South Africa. [Kanyiri Wahito, Standard)]

Around them at the arrivals terminal were dozens of other Kenyans who had made the same difficult journey home.

Most declined to speak to the media, choosing instead to leave the airport quietly and begin again.

And on Thursday, the last batch would land at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) some few minutes past 10pm with many appearing visibly tired and carrying only a few personal belongings after their difficult journey home.

Several returnees walked quietly through the arrivals section, clutching bags and guiding children through the crowd.

Most declined to speak to journalists, saying they were exhausted and only wanted to reunite with their families.

“We are very tired. All I want is to go home and rest, I had talked to my sister who I hope to reunite soon with” said one returnee who requested not to be identified.

Outside the arrivals terminal,  emotions ran high as relatives waited anxiously for their loved ones.

While some celebrated emotional reunions, others were left disappointed after learning that family members they had expected on the flight had not arrived.

Some expressed frustration over what they described as a lack of clear communication regarding passenger manifests and travel arrangements.

“We were informed that our relative would be on this flight, but we have searched everywhere and cannot find him. Nobody seems to have clear answers, but we have been directed to check back tomorrow morning” said one concerned family member.

The situation was further complicated for some returnees who struggled to reconnect with relatives due to communication challenges.

Several complained about the high cost of purchasing local SIM cards at the airport, leaving them unable to immediately contact family members.

Among those affected were mothers travelling with young children. Some appeared stranded  as they tried to organise transport and communicate with relatives who had come to receive them.

One of the returnees recounted the dangerous journey he undertook to escape the violence in South Africa.

He said he initially travelled by truck to Zambia after leaving the area where he had been living and working before eventually securing a flight to Kenya.

“It was not easy. We travelled for days. At some points we did not know what would happen next, but we kept moving because we wanted to be safe,” he said.