Kenyans abroad want constituency

By Antony Gitonga

Kenyans living abroad have called for the creation of an "abroad constituency" in the new constitution.

After the Parliamentary Select Committee on Constitutional Review agreed to create more constituencies, more than one million Kenyans abroad want one seat reserved for them.

Under their umbrella organisation, Kenya Community Abroad, they called for a clause to be included in the harmonised draft allowing for the creation of the constituency.

In a press release signed on their behalf by Mr John Maina from Washington DC, they said other countries had similar arrangements.

According to Maina, Britain, which the current Constitution had borrowed heavily from, had 11 such representatives abroad.

"We, therefore, earnestly seek to have at least one MP representing Kenyans abroad. We ask this not for any group promotion, but for the advancement of our country," read the statement in part.

Maina said it was time the voices of Kenyans in the Diaspora were heard.

He said according to a World Bank report of 2008, Kenyans living abroad brought in Sh125.5 billion.

"You can’t ignore our contribution," they said.