The level of unemployment is also high in Kenya, particularly among the youth and graduates, which has forced many citizens to seek opportunities in other countries.

Foreign jobs are very attractive because they promise higher wages, better lives, and an opportunity to take care of families. In some cases, having little formal work at home, thousands of Kenyans seek their financial stability and self-development in European, Middle Eastern, and other countries.

There have been rising concerns about the safety of Kenyans in the diaspora with the ongoing wars in different parts of the world, particularly the Russia-Ukraine war and the Iran-Israel war. This has raised alarm over the security of these Kenyans, with the government assuring Kenyans of being on the front line to ensure the safety of citizens in the diaspora.

Speaking in a morning interview with a local TV station on Monday, March 2, 2026, Principal Secretary for Diaspora Affairs Roseline Njogu said that the government is advising Kenyans living in the Middle East countries to remain indoors as much as possible and to keep in touch with communication channels at Kenyan embassies.

“For now, as we monitor, it is important to reiterate to Kenyans to shelter in place and listen to what your host country is advising,” Njogu said.

“We are far from an evacuation scenario, but we have a plan in place if it comes to that.”

Formalities of working abroad

Working in a foreign country must always be done through legal procedures to ensure that the migrants are not exploited.

Kenyans are also encouraged to confirm job opportunities with the National Employment Authority (NEA) and the Ministry of Labour, which keeps a list of acceptable recruitment agencies and legal possibilities. The work should be obtained by means of adequate bilateral labour agreements (BLAs) between Kenya and such countries as the UK, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and Germany.

Recruitment fraud

In spite of such measures, a large number of Kenyans are lured into the fraudulent recruitment networks. Fraudsters offer attractive position profiles abroad with high pay and collect advance fees, and disappear before they can ever offer any employment. Others provide jobs in foreign nations that are not available or require money to purchase fake documents.

Luring desperate job seekers is usually done through social media, WhatsApp groups, and informal networks.

Kenyans in Russia-Ukraine war

One of the most worrying outcomes of overseas job-seeking by Kenyans is the crisis of hundreds of Kenyans recruited to join the war in Russia and Ukraine. Recruiters made poor Kenyans believe that they would be well paid in Russia only to force them into military service at the battle line. According to the government statistics, there are more than 1000 Kenyans who were deployed to fight on the Russian side.

Among these, approximately 89 are reported to be still on the front line, 39 are hospitalised, and 28 are missing in action, with one death being confirmed.

Families of the affected Kenyans have called for immediate action, citing the gravity of the situation and the role of the human trafficking network and rogue recruiters.

Iran war

The war between Iran and Israel has intensified tremendously at the beginning of March 2026 as Iran and the United States launch synchronised attacks against Iranian military sites, and Iranian missiles strike Israel and American bases in the Gulf.

Reports of air raid sirens and explosions have been reported in large cities, and the military escalation has extended the combat area and has affected countries in the region.

Kenya has individually been on the diplomatic front, with President William Ruto making a phone call to the UAE president, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, denouncing Iranian attacks on the UAE and supporting the stability of the region.