Govt announces low turnout amid amnesty issued in Saudi Arabia for undocumented individuals
By Cynthia Lodite, November 15, 2025The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has revealed a low turnout while processing an amnesty for Kenyans in Saudi Arabia who are facing an undocumented penalty.
In a press statement dated Friday, November 15, 2025, the Principal Secretary, State Department for Diaspora Affairs, Roseline Kathure Njogu, explained the challenges experienced in documenting children born in Saudi Arabia.
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While making the announcement, the PS confirmed that the government managed to negotiate with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for an amnesty for out-of-status Kenyans trapped in Saudi Arabia; however, several Kenyans in Saudi Arabia failed to show up.
“The government of Kenya also successfully negotiated an amnesty for out-of-status individuals to regularise their status and return home without penalty, which amnesty was graciously granted by the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Regrettably, only a handful of Kenyans utilised this programme,” PS Njogu said.
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On the other hand, the PS revealed that despite extensive outreach, the turnout was underwhelming, with fewer than 1000 Kenyans coming forward, while only 113 applied for birth certificates, with 110 successfully processed.
“However, despite extensive outreach, the turnout was underwhelming. Fewer than 1,000 individuals came forward, yielding 707 DNA samples, 388 of which were from children. Subsequently, only 113 applied for birth certificates, with 110 successfully processed,” she added.
Saudi Arabia outreach
The ministry acknowledged contacting all 110 parents via messages, direct calls, and community circulars to collect the birth certificates from Kenya’s Riyadh Embassy; however, only a third have collected them.
“The Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs contacted all 110 parents via messages, direct calls, and community circulars to collect the birth certificates from our Riyadh Embassy. To date, only a third have done so. The donors of the other samples were also contacted and advised to complete their birth certificate applications, but the response has been underwhelming,” she said.
PS Njogu has further added that, beyond the Mwanamberi Project set out to help Kenyans get a birth certificate for the children, the Kenyan Embassy in Riyadh established a robust, operational framework with Saudi authorities.
Adding that a Joint Interdepartmental Working Group (JIWG) was established, comprising the Kenyan Embassy, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the General Directorate of Passports (Jawazzat), the Saudi Ministry of Labour, and the Saudi Ministry of Interior.
The collaborative mechanism created a clear, sequential, and lawful pathway for the repatriation of Kenyans. Foreign Affairs PS further confirmed that the framework’s success has been demonstrated by the safe repatriation of 59 mothers and 73 children.