Why only 30 Kenyans were evacuated from Lebanon by deadline day - Govt

A report by the Commission on Administrative Justice (Office of the Ombudsman) has disclosed that, as of October 11, 2024, 30 Kenyans chose to return home as part of the government’s evacuation efforts from Lebanon.

Despite 35 Kenyans initially expressing readiness to be evacuated, the report notes that five of them failed to show up on the day of departure, resulting in a loss of ticket funds.

This comes even as the government set an October 12, 2024, deadline for registration, urging all Kenyans wishing to be evacuated to complete their paperwork before the date.

The report also highlighted that, of the estimated 26,000 Kenyans living and working in Lebanon, only about 7,000 had registered for the government’s evacuation programme, raising concerns over the safety of those still unregistered as tensions in Lebanon escalate.

The government’s evacuation efforts come in response to the escalating conflict in Lebanon, which has put thousands of Kenyans at risk.

In a letter dated October 2, 2024, the Commission on Administrative Justice expressed concern about the safety of Kenyans in the region, citing increased violence, restricted access to essential services, and the potential for further unrest.

The letter called on the State Department for Diaspora Affairs to provide details on the number of registered Kenyans, an assessment of the security situation, and an outline of the evacuation plan.

“Kenyans were provided with an opportunity to be evacuated, with 35 taking up the offer. Unfortunately, on the travel day, five (5) of them were a no-show, leading to loss of ticket values,” reads the report.

Smoke billows over southern Lebanon following an Israeli strike, amid ongoing cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, as seen from Tyre, Lebanon September 26, 2024. (Reuters)

However, Principal Secretary for the State Department for Diaspora Affairs, Roseline Njogu, confirmed that the government had put in place a comprehensive evacuation strategy, managed by a multi-agency committee.

“We have put in place an evacuation plan that includes live registration for Kenyans who wish to leave and the provision of emergency contact numbers. We are also advising Kenyans to move from southern Lebanon, which is more volatile, to the safer northern regions,” Njogu explained.

In addition to providing guidance on safety, the government said it had secured extra shelters to house Kenyans temporarily, in collaboration with the Lebanese authorities.

Ten consular officers were also deployed to assist at the Kenyan Embassy in Kuwait and the Honorary Consulate in Beirut to hasten the evacuation process.

The National Treasury had allocated Sh100 million to fund the evacuation, and negotiations with Lebanese authorities had secured a waiver of overstay penalties and exit clearance fees, which would have otherwise caused delays in the process.

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi also reiterated the government's commitment to ensuring the safety of Kenyans in Lebanon.

“The government has set aside Sh100 million, and a team from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working with security and other agencies to ensure the funds are used efficiently to evacuate our citizens,” Mudavadi said while appearing before the Senate.

The Ministry further provided emergency hotline numbers (+254114757002) for Kenyans with relatives in Lebanon, ensuring direct coordination with families. The deadline for registration is October 12, 2024, and the Ministry has urged those wishing to leave Lebanon to complete their paperwork before the deadline.

"The safety of all Kenyan nationals in Lebanon remains a top priority for the government, and we continue to take measures to ensure they are protected amidst the ongoing conflict," read a statement from the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs.

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi appears before the Senate plenary on October 9, 2024: (Photo: X/Musalia Mudavadi)