COVID-19: It will require over Sh4 billion if every Kenyan is to be evacuated from abroad

COVID-19 has continued wreaking havoc across the entire world since it first emerged in Wuhan City, China on December 31, 2019.

The killer disease has claimed over 200,000 lives globally. Already, Kenya has lost 7 of its citizens abroad to the pandemic.

Sources indicate that almost three million Kenyans are currently living abroad. The Foreign Affairs Ministry stated that they COVID-19 has continued wreaking havoc across the entire world since it first emerged in Wuhan City, China, on December 31, 2019.

The killer disease has claimed over 200,000 lives globally. Already, Kenya has lost seven of its citizens abroad to the pandemic.

Sources indicate that almost three million Kenyans are currently living abroad. The Foreign Affairs Ministry stated that they are already engaging various nations to ensure that Kenyans living there were properly handled during especially this outbreak.

China, where Africans, among them Kenyans, were being reportedly mishandled, has 3,091 Kenyans, whereby 91 are students.

Out of the 3,091 Kenyans, several had their visas already expired, while none of the students was willing to jet back home. However, proper agreements had been reached between Kenya and China to have the visas renewed after COVID-19.

Several Kenyans had been caught up in lockdowns, making it hard for them to be reached for assistance. Additionally, the Kenyan government revealed that Sh9.6 million had been given to Kenyan students in China to aid them in time like now.

Speaking about the evacuation efforts for Kenyans based in China, the government revealed that only 40 people had expressed interest in being evacuated.

This forced the government to drop the idea after it could not meet the threshold of 215 people required to fill a plane. India reportedly has almost 750 Kenyans stuck there.

Out of the 750, about 200 are patients who had gone there for treatment purposes and reportedly have their return tickets. The remaining are business persons.

Plans were being made to facilitate evacuation for those having return tickets and stranded in Mumbai and New Delhi.

Recently, Majority leader Aden Duale stated that "We cannot compromise the lives of our people because China is giving us loans. Those Kenyans in China are being mistreated; we talk with them every day, so let's not hide anything," said Duale. are already engaging various nations to ensure that Kenyans living there were properly handled during especially this outbreak.

China, reportedly where Africans among them Kenyans were being mishandled has 3,091 Kenyans, whereby 91 are students.

Out of the 3,091 Kenyans, several had their Visas already expired, while none of the students was willing to jet back home. However, proper agreements had been reached between Kenya and China to have the Visas renewed after COVID-19.

Several Kenyans had been caught up in lockdowns, making it hard for them to be reached for assistance. Additionally, the Kenyan government revealed that Sh9.6 million had been given to students to Kenyan students in China to aid them in time like now.

Speaking about the evacuation efforts for Kenyans based in China, the government revealed that only 40 people had expressed interest in being evacuated.

This forced the government to drop the idea after it could not meet the threshold of 215 people required to fill a plane. India reportedly has almost 750 Kenyans stuck there.

Out of the 750, like 200 are patients who had gone there for treatment purposes, and reportedly have their return tickets. The remaining are business persons.

Plans were being made to facilitate evacuation for those having return tickets and stranded in Mumbai and New Delhi. Recently, Majority leader Aden Duale stated that,

"We cannot compromise the lives of our people because China is giving us loans. Those Kenyans in China are being mistreated, we talk with them every day, so let's not hide anything," said Duale.

https://www.nation.co.ke/news/Evacuation-of-Kenyans-abroad/1056-5535480-rplno4/index.html