Kenya Unveils Grand Plan To Deport Foreigners From Kenyan Streets
Hundreds of foreigners face deportation after Kenya revealed plans to expel illegal migrants as part of a campaign to end the country’s homelessness.
On Wednesday, Labour and Social Protection Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua proposed a statewide census of street families, with those discovered to be non-Kenyans returning home.
Mutua revealed at a recruitment event in Roysambu that the Ministry, through the Street Families Rehabilitation Trust Fund, is devising a plan to rescue and repatriate families from other nations.
“We are undertaking a census. We are just waiting for budgetary allocation so that we can have a breakdown not only of (identifying) which ones are Kenyans and those who are not but also where they come from in Kenya,” Mutua said.
Adding that, “Also to identify the main cause of ending up in the streets. We want to find out if it is family breakdown, poverty, or are they being used as child labour because we are very concerned about trafficking.”
𝐉𝐎𝐁𝐒 𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐑𝐔𝐈𝐓𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐀𝐓 𝐉𝐄𝐒𝐔𝐒 𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐑 𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐘, 𝐑𝐎𝐘𝐒𝐀𝐌𝐁𝐔, 𝐍𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐎𝐁𝐈.
— Dr. Alfred N. Mutua (@DrAlfredMutua) March 5, 2025
Today, I launched a Job Recruitment Drive under the 𝙆𝙖𝙯𝙞 𝙈𝙖𝙟𝙪𝙪 initiative at 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐬 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲, 𝐑𝐨𝐲𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐮, 𝐍𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐢,… pic.twitter.com/sYXBe8FnHW
The strategy could target Ugandans, Tanzanians, Congolese, South Sudanese, Ethiopians, and Somalis, who are among the most common migrants to Kenya.
While data on the number of persons living unlawfully in Kenya is available, security authorities apprehended 1,455 undocumented migrants last year, the majority of whom were from Ethiopia.
Kenya, which is relatively stable, acts as both a destination and transit country for irregular migrants in East Africa, drawing people looking for improved economic prospects, conflict-free travel, and connections to other countries.
However, the migration of undocumented people presents considerable hurdles to the country’s security and social services.
This has led to an increase in the number of street families, with the 2019 national census reporting over 46,000 persons living on the streets, including children and adults.
According to more recent estimates, the number could be as high as 300,000 across the country, with Nairobi accounting for about 60,000.
“We are reworking the rehabilitation and identification of street families. Some of them we are seeing in our country are foreigners that have come to Kenya because it is an economic giant in the region,” he said.
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Adding, “We are working on that so that we can get them sent back home to their countries, and also those that are here can be taken back to the countryside where they come from and also taken to school.”
The CS indicated that the Ministry will collaborate with the Ministries of Interior and Foreign Affairs to conduct the census, with the goal of facilitating a seamless rehabilitation process for street families.
According to Mutua, the government intends to improve the lives of those living on the streets by issuing IDs and providing rehabilitative services.
Those with professional training will have access to internship opportunities.
Kenya Unveils Grand Plan To Deport Foreigners From Kenyan Streets
