Mudavadi to MPs: Fund Foreign Ministry to support Kenyans in legal trouble abroad

In a pointed address before the National Assembly, Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs Minister Musalia Mudavadi shifted the burden of accountability for the fate of Kenyans detained overseas to the lawmakers themselves, arguing that Parliament must appropriate resources if it expects the government to intervene effectively in such cases.

"The hard truth is, it is Parliament that should allocate resources for the Government of Kenya to continuously bail out Kenyans who have landed on the wrong side of the law in various countries," he said.

Mudavadi noted that the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs is increasingly under public pressure to secure legal aid or diplomatic intervention for Kenyans in detention abroad, without being equipped with the financial resources to act.

"We are being pressured by society when it is Parliament that holds the answer," Mudavadi noted. "Kenyan society needs to become cognizant of this so we do not face further embarrassment as a government."

Currently, more than 1,000 Kenyan nationals are incarcerated in various countries for a spectrum of offences ranging from minor infractions to serious crimes.

Many lack access to legal representation or consular support.

Mudavadi emphasised that while the government remains committed to safeguarding the rights of its citizens abroad, consistent intervention requires budgetary planning, not moral outrage after the fact.

"It is not the wish of the Kenyan government to see its nationals languishing across the world. But if we are to intervene meaningfully, Parliament must first create room in the national budget," he added.

The Prime CS also raised concerns about the demographic most affected by these arrests.

"Young people, who make up over 70% of our population, are particularly vulnerable. Many are uninformed about the legal risks they face abroad. As leaders, we must take responsibility for awareness campaigns in our constituencies," said Mudavadi.

Behind the remarks is a broader policy dilemma: how to manage an increasingly mobile population, many of whom seek employment in legally precarious conditions in unfamiliar jurisdictions.

While the constitutional mandate to protect Kenyans everywhere remains intact, the financial infrastructure to fulfil that promise is, according to Mudavadi, sorely lacking.

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