Mudavadi: Only 35 Kenyans returned from Lebanon, over 7,000 still stranded

More than 7,000 Kenyans remain stranded in Lebanon amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has revealed that out of an estimated 26,000 Kenyans in the Middle Eastern country, 7,119 have registered for evacuation. This follows months of sustained calls for Kenyans in Lebanon to voluntarily register for evacuation.

However, despite the growing number of registrants, only 35 Kenyans have been repatriated from Lebanon so far.

"Initially, registration was slow, but as the war escalates, we have seen an increase in numbers, and we expect that they will rise even further," Mudavadi said.

He explained that the evacuation process has been delayed due to limited flights, noting that only one airline is currently operating flights into Beirut.

"We expect the fourth and fifth groups of evacuated Kenyans to arrive in Kenya this weekend. The process has been slow and cumbersome due to stringent clearance requirements from the Lebanese authorities," he added.

The ministry said it has deployed a multi-agency team from Kenya, working alongside officials from the Kenyan embassy in Kuwait to coordinate the evacuation efforts.

Diaspora Affairs Principal Secretary Roseline Njogu indicated that more evacuations are anticipated over the weekend.

"We are facing numerous challenges due to the war, so they are coming back in batches of five or seven, depending on the availability of space," she said.

Mudavadi also cautioned Kenyans against travelling to conflict zones, emphasising that the government is planning a mass evacuation strategy, which will utilise safer areas before transitioning to air transport.

"We can't estimate the cost of this operation or how long it will take, but we are exploring other means to ensure that we bring all Kenyans home," he added.

This situation emerges as the Kenya Kwanza administration encourages Kenyans to seek employment opportunities abroad.

Njogu said that since the current administration took office, over 180,000 Kenyans have pursued work opportunities in the diaspora.