Members of the Diaspora Affairs and Migrant Workers Committee and their counterparts from the Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations have called on the Cabinet Secretary (CS) for the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Dr. Alfred Mutua to work closely with legislators in advancing Kenya’s national interests abroad. 

The call comes in the wake of complaints from Members that the CS had failed to honour several invitations to appear before the two Committees in the last few months.

In his explanation, Dr. Mutua attributed the no show to scheduled engagements outside the country, but undertook to prioritize engagements with both Houses of Parliament and to establish closer collaboration mechanisms going forward. 

While pointing out the expanded mandate of Parliament in ratifying treaties and international agreements, he told Members that the Ministry has plans to forthwith embed lawmakers as part of Kenya’s delegation to strategic engagements abroad.

The two Committees led by Hon. Haika Mizighi (Taita Taveta) and Hon. Nelson Koech (Belgut) respectively underscored that while Parliaments do not play a formal role in the preparation of foreign policy matters, their input and  place in fostering international cooperation cannot be gainsaid.

The Members were speaking on the sidelines of  a 2-day training conducted by the Ministry’s Foreign Service Academy at the in Mombasa County.

Addressing the forum, Hon. Koech urged the Committees’ Members to remain steadfast in ensuring that the Ministry remains responsive to the needs of the country and the welfare of Kenyans in the diaspora. He noted that collaboration with the Ministry was key to delivering on the common vision of the Government.

“As we deliberate,let us not lose sight of our ultimate goal of building a united, peaceful, and prosperous Kenya. We must work together towards strengthening the bonds that tie us, fostering a shared sense of national identity as well as promoting understanding and respect”, he said.

On her part, Hon. Mizighi urged the Ministry to take lead in fast tracking the review of the Diaspora Policy 2014, to reflect the current status and realities of the Kenyan Diaspora. 

Noting that for several years now, diaspora remittances have remained to be among top earners of Kenya’s foreign exchange, ahead of its main exports coffee, tea and horticulture, she emphasized on the need to enhance the Diaspora Policy.

“Our Kenyan Diaspora has evolved and is continually evolving and we must look at the Kenyan Diaspora population. We now have a more enlightened diaspora population, more aware of their political rights and who want to be involved in political decision making, have their economic rights promoted and social economic rights safeguarded”, she observed.

Other MPs who spoke during the session called on the Ministry to intensify efforts towards the protection of the rights and the welfare of Kenyans in the diaspora. They further called for the Ministry’s intervention to ensure that thousands of Kenyans who have secured jobs abroad but who are unable to travel because of delays in the processing of their passports are given priority in securing the travel documents.

Speaking at the same forum, the Principal Secretary for the State Department of Foreign Affairs Dr. Korir Sing’oei told the lawmakers that the Ministry was in the process of establishing a dedicated focal point to facilitate parliamentarians in addressing issues affecting their constituents and especially Kenyans in the Diaspora.