Are We Being Heard? Rethinking Kenya’s Diaspora Diplomacy in Australia
For thousands of Kenyans in Australia, home often feels both close and far. We send money back to build houses, pay school fees, and invest in small ventures, yet when we need something as simple as a document authenticated or a passport renewed, the silence from our institutions is deafening. Behind every remittance is a story of love and loyalty — but also frustration. That paradox lies at the heart of Kenya’s ongoing conversation about diaspora diplomacy — the effort to engage, empower, and represent its citizens abroad.
A recent study titled “Examining the Extent of Implementation of Diaspora Diplomacy Strategies in Australia: A Perspective from Kenya,” authored by Wilson Kipngetich Kogo and Dr. Patrick Maluki of the University of Nairobi, provides one of the most comprehensive looks yet at how Kenya’s diplomatic strategies have fared among its diaspora in Australia. Their findings are revealing: while government efforts like dual citizenship facilitation, digitized consular services, and diaspora conventions have made progress, implementation remains inconsistent and, at times, disconnected from the people it seeks to serve. As Kogo and Maluki note, “diaspora diplomacy plays an important role in promoting remittance flows from Kenyans in Australia but is hindered by structural and institutional limitations.” In other words, the will is there — but the structure is not.
The Kenyan diaspora in Australia may be smaller than those in the UK or the US, but its influence is outsized. From Perth to Brisbane, Kenyan professionals have carved spaces in healthcare, education, and business. The study revealed that while 66 percent of respondents had registered as dual citizens and 64 percent regularly accessed digitized services, fewer than half felt involved in planning or consulted on remittance policy. These numbers speak volumes: we are connected enough to send money, but not empowered enough to shape the systems through which it flows. In the words of one participant quoted in the study, “We’re not just ATM machines — we’re Kenyans. Give us a voice, not just a place in the remittance line.”
That statement captures a growing sentiment across the Kenyan-Australian community. Our contributions are visible in the numbers — remittances now outpace traditional exports in Kenya’s foreign earnings — but our voices often disappear into bureaucratic channels. The promise of diaspora diplomacy, as envisioned by Kogo and Maluki, is to turn remitters into partners in national development. Yet without transparent communication, responsive embassies, and clear bilateral frameworks, this partnership remains aspirational. As the researchers argue, Kenya’s missions must move beyond ceremonial outreach to structured collaboration, underpinned by formal partnerships with diaspora associations and state-to-state labor and taxation agreements.
For many of us abroad, the frustration isn’t born of apathy but of disconnect. We care deeply about Kenya’s growth but often find the systems opaque and inaccessible. The embassy may organize cultural days and community barbecues — moments that foster belonging — yet for matters like investment guidance, property security, or taxation clarity, we are left to navigate on our own. Kogo and Maluki’s findings echo this sentiment: while digitization has improved access, gaps persist in mental health support, diaspora registration, and local-level engagement. The Kenyan Mission in Canberra covers vast regions with limited staff and resources — an imbalance that directly affects service delivery and responsiveness.
Still, it’s not all bleak. The same study notes signs of optimism: increasing participation in digital platforms like Kazi Majuu, growing trust in e-consular services, and rising engagement through diaspora conventions. There’s energy within the Kenyan community — a readiness to contribute if the right structures exist. Many respondents interviewed spoke of investing in farms, start-ups, and real estate back home despite the distance and risk. That resilience and commitment reflect an enduring bond with Kenya, one that could be transformative if fully embraced by policy.
But as a diaspora, we too have a responsibility. Engagement is a two-way street. We must continue organizing through associations, mentoring new arrivals, and holding institutions accountable with civility and persistence. True diaspora diplomacy cannot thrive without participation from the people it seeks to represent. If Kenya is to fully harness its global citizens, it must also recognize that belonging cannot be legislated — it must be nurtured.
Kogo and Maluki conclude their paper with clear recommendations: decentralize consular services to reach high-density states like Queensland and Victoria; formalize partnerships with diaspora groups; negotiate bilateral tax and labor mobility agreements; and strengthen digital communication portals. These aren’t abstract suggestions — they’re actionable roadmaps for restoring trust. They remind us that policy should mirror reality, not just ambition.
Perhaps the question, then, is not whether Kenya’s diaspora diplomacy exists, but whether it listens. To be seen and heard by our homeland is not a privilege; it’s a right earned through our continued commitment — financial, emotional, and cultural. For the diaspora, being Kenyan abroad is not just a status; it’s a daily act of faith. And for the state, recognizing that faith through meaningful engagement might just be the most powerful diplomacy of all.
