Kenyans living and working abroad are sending home more money than ever before, making diaspora remittances the country’s biggest source of foreign currency.
In the last two and a half years, inflows have risen from Ksh520 billion to Ksh643.5 billion, a growth President William Ruto attributes to reforms in the labour mobility programme.
The Head of State, speaking during International Youth Day celebrations at Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology in Kakamega on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, said the initiative has made it easier for job seekers to find credible opportunities abroad and receive ongoing support once they leave the country.
“For every Kenyan working abroad, we know where they are going, what job they will do, how much they will earn and how to support them. The days when Kenyans suffered outside Kenya without government support are behind us,” he said.
Ruto noted that the structured system now records each worker’s destination, the type of work they will be doing, their expected income, and the assistance they may require. This, he added, has helped eliminate the challenges many Kenyans faced in the past when working overseas.
“Because of the labour mobility program, our diaspora remittance has in the last two and a half years grown from 4 billion dollars to 4.95 billion dollars. Our diaspora is the single largest foreign exchange earner for our country because of the young people who work outside the country. I have sufficiently organised that sector,” he added.
The programme also verifies contracts, confirms wages, and offers channels to address any difficulties workers might encounter while abroad, ensuring they remain protected throughout their employment.
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