60 more Kenyans arrive home from South Africa as government steps up evacuations

60 more Kenyans arrive home from South Africa as government steps up evacuations

Listen

Read this story aloud

Listen to the clean text version of this article.

Ready
2 min listen
Audio reading is not supported on this browser.

More are expected to return home between today and Thursday next week, the set deadline for the state-led evacuation process.

60 more Kenyans have been evacuated from South Africa. The group arrived at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Friday night, adding to the many migrant workers fleeing the country due to rising xenophobic attacks.
In a post on X, the State Department for Diaspora Affairs, which is leading the multi-agency effort to repatriate those who voluntarily wish to come back home, said they were received by PS Roseline Njogu, the Head of the Counselling Unit, Peter Burugu, who debriefed the returnees and provided on-the-spot psychosocial first aid before they were reunited with their families.
Some of the Kenyan evacuees upon arrival at the JKIA. (Photo: MOFA)
More are expected to return home between today and Thursday next week, the set deadline for the state-led evacuation process.
According to the South African Border Management Authority, the mass exodus has resulted in more than 35,000 people being repatriated or deported since June 7.
The exodus began weeks ago as fringe groups began demanding all illegal migrants leave by June 30, in a campaign that saw violent protests and clashes in which at least five foreign nationals were killed. 
A section of the Kenyan evacuees. (Photo: MOFA)
They include two Mozambicans, a Ghanaian, an Ethiopian and a Malawian who were allegedly killed in violence linked to the tensions around illegal immigrants, according to police. 
The groups mobilising against illegal immigrants blame them for high unemployment and lack of services, pressing social problems that analysts say are largely due to government failures.

Comments

0
Loading comments...

Trending

Popular Stories This Week