President William Ruto has praised Kenyans living abroad for serving as outstanding ambassadors of the country, while reaffirming his administration’s commitment to strengthening engagement with the diaspora and expanding overseas employment opportunities.
Speaking during a meeting with representatives of the Kenyan diaspora from 40 countries at State House, Nairobi, President Ruto said Kenyans abroad continue to earn global recognition for their hard work, reliability and professionalism.
The Head of State noted that international organizations and employers have consistently commended Kenyan workers for their dedication and dependability, enhancing the country's reputation across the world.
“We commend our diaspora community for being excellent ambassadors of our country. Many organisations continue to give sterling accounts of their hard work, consistency, reliability and dependability,” said President Ruto.
The President said his government has implemented measures aimed at making it easier for Kenyans living abroad to access services and participate in national development. Among the initiatives highlighted was the integration of the diaspora into the Affordable Housing Programme through the Boma Yangu portal, enabling them to invest in housing projects back home.
He also noted that Kenyans abroad can now support their families by paying medical insurance contributions through the Social Health Authority (SHA), a move aimed at enhancing access to healthcare for households across the country.
The meeting comes as the government intensifies efforts to harness diaspora remittances, which remain one of Kenya’s leading sources of foreign exchange. Successive governments have increasingly viewed the diaspora as a critical pillar of economic growth, investment and skills transfer.
President Ruto further defended his administration’s labour mobility programme, saying reforms introduced over the past three years have opened up employment opportunities for hundreds of thousands of Kenyans overseas.
According to the President, approximately 540,000 Kenyans have secured jobs abroad since 2023 following efforts to streamline labour migration and eliminate fraudulent recruitment agencies that had previously exploited job seekers.
“At the same time, we are mobilising Kenyans to find jobs overseas. In the past three years, 540,000 Kenyans have found work abroad following the streamlining of the sector and elimination of fraudsters,” he said.
The government has made labour export one of its flagship economic strategies, arguing that overseas employment helps reduce unemployment, increases household incomes and boosts foreign exchange earnings through remittances.
However, the programme has faced scrutiny from critics and human rights groups, who have raised concerns over the welfare and protection of Kenyan workers in some foreign destinations, particularly in the Middle East. The government has maintained that it is strengthening bilateral labour agreements and improving oversight mechanisms to safeguard workers’ rights.
The State House meeting brought together diaspora representatives from across Africa, Europe, North America, Asia and the Middle East, underscoring the growing role of Kenyans abroad in shaping the country's economic and social development agenda.
The latest engagement signals the government's intention to deepen ties with the diaspora community as it seeks to leverage their investments, expertise and global networks in advancing Kenya's development objectives.
