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{
"id": 1562042,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1562042/?format=api",
"text_counter": 218,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Gem, ODM",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Elisha Odhiambo",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Could the Cabinet Secretary - (a) State the measures the Government is taking to ensure children born abroad to Kenyans are recognised as citizens? (b) Explain how the Government is supporting the economic participation of Kenyans born in foreign countries, particularly in acquiring property, securing employment, and harnessing their skills and expertise for national development? (c) State strategies in place to establish a streamlined integration process for Kenyans born abroad, granting them equal rights, legal protection, and access to national systems like other citizens?"
},
{
"id": 1562043,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1562043/?format=api",
"text_counter": 219,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Speaker",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "Prime Cabinet Secretary."
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{
"id": 1562044,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1562044/?format=api",
"text_counter": 220,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Musalia Mudavadi",
"speaker_title": "The Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs",
"speaker": {
"id": 84,
"legal_name": "Wycliffe Musalia Mudavadi",
"slug": "musalia-mudavadi"
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"content": " Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I wish to respond as follows. You may note that some of the issues raised have already been canvassed in the previous question."
},
{
"id": 1562045,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1562045/?format=api",
"text_counter": 221,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Musalia Mudavadi",
"speaker_title": "The Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs",
"speaker": {
"id": 84,
"legal_name": "Wycliffe Musalia Mudavadi",
"slug": "musalia-mudavadi"
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"content": "Once again, I wish to state that Article 14(1), as read with Clause 30 of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of Kenya, stipulates that: “14(1) A person is a citizen by birth if on the day of the person’s birth, whether or not the person is born in Kenya, either the mother or the father is a Kenyan citizen”. This provision outlines the principle of citizenship by parentage thus granting automatic citizenship to children born abroad to Kenyan citizens."
},
{
"id": 1562046,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1562046/?format=api",
"text_counter": 222,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Musalia Mudavadi",
"speaker_title": "The Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs",
"speaker": {
"id": 84,
"legal_name": "Wycliffe Musalia Mudavadi",
"slug": "musalia-mudavadi"
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"content": "For them to obtain official documents such as birth certificates, passports and national Identity Cards (IDs), parents are required to register the child's birth with the Government of Kenya. These documents are available in most Kenyan missions abroad where they can easily access them. As we speak, applications are now processed through the e-Citizen platform and thus centralised. Additionally, the State Department of Diaspora Affairs carries out regular mobile consular services outreach. It takes services to Kenyan in the diaspora where we have a high population of Kenyans. The programme takes a one-government approach as it on-boards Government agencies to provide essential Government services like issuance of passports, IDs, birth certificates, certificates of good conduct, DNA sampling, among others. We do it as a holistic approach. The second aspect of the Question is how Government is supporting the economic participation of Kenyans abroad particularly, in acquiring property, securing employment and contributing their skills and expertise to national development. The Government has implemented several initiatives to support economic participation of Kenyans born abroad, recognising their significant role in national development. These initiatives are many and varied. First, it should be recognised that we never had the State Department of Diaspora Affairs since independence. This is now in place. The department is dedicated to facilitating and supporting Kenyans in the diaspora. This Department has also launched the Kenya Diaspora Policy 2024. In the policy, we articulate the Government's commitment to engage with the Kenyan diaspora aiming to integrate them into the national development agenda. It The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
},
{
"id": 1562047,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1562047/?format=api",
"text_counter": 223,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Musalia Mudavadi",
"speaker_title": "The Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs",
"speaker": {
"id": 84,
"legal_name": "Wycliffe Musalia Mudavadi",
"slug": "musalia-mudavadi"
},
"content": "focuses on protecting their rights, engaging them through partnerships, empowering them through job placements and prospering them through investments. We have also developed a diaspora investment strategy. It aims at creating a framework that focuses on attracting diaspora investments, facilitating their engagement in Kenya's economic activities, and ensuring that their contributions are effectively integrated into our development plans. We have also been undertaking various diaspora investment promotions with Kenyans in different countries. We are also contemplating issuing a diaspora bond. The Government is planning to launch a diaspora bond that will enable Kenyans abroad to invest in priority projects back home in areas like infrastructure and housing. This conversation is going on with the National Treasury and institutions like the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) of the World Bank. We have also broadened digital access to Government services. The Government has digitised over 16,000 public services accessible via the e-Citizen platform. They include property registration and verification, business registration, tax return filing and many more that the diaspora can easily access and monitor their investments back home. There is also the aspect of dual citizenship. In recognising the importance of identity and investment, the Government has made it easier to regain citizenship for Kenyans who lost citizenship after acquiring other nationalities. This has encouraged greater economic participation. On matters of the global labour market, the Department aims at enhancing employment opportunities for Kenyans abroad while safeguarding their rights and welfare. It also aims at aligning skills of Kenyan workers with global labour market demands by ensuring that they meet international standards. The approach not only creates employment but also leverages the diaspora’s contribution to Kenya's socio-economic growth by fostering knowledge, skills and technology. We also have the Diaspora Placement Agency created in 2023 to focus on supporting Kenyans seeking jobs out there. We are engaging in a diaspora exchange programme that offers short-term assignments for diaspora professionals in Kenya through Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) institutions. It focuses on transferring digital skills in areas like software development and data science. We also have the Konza Technopolis. It contributes to skills and expertise in this area. We have been going to an area where we even have nomadic visas to allow Kenyans working in different areas to work from different countries and earn a living. Finally, what are the strategies in place to establish a streamlined integration process for Kenyans born abroad, guaranteeing them equal rights and legal protection and access to national systems like other citizens? We have reviewed the Kenya Diaspora Policy, 2024. In this policy framework, we want to guarantee the protection of welfare, rights, continuous engagement and empowerment of Kenyans in the diaspora to realise their prosperity. This is in line with the Government's constitutional mandate to protect citizens, whether within Kenya or abroad. I have already talked to the dual citizenship aspect. There is also continuous inclusive national engagement. Whenever, we have state visits or critical visits from Kenyan Government officials, we have more or less made it a tradition to encourage Kenyans’ diaspora engagements. We are also working on career and economic integration. This is spelled out in our policy so that we broaden and facilitate integration of the Kenyan workforce and education institutions to enhance skills and technology transfer. I have also talked about the modular consular services and the enhancement of use of technology to move forward. As you are also aware, we have been progressively facilitating Kenyans abroad to also exercise their democratic right of voting when the election cycle is due. Thank you. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
},
{
"id": 1562048,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1562048/?format=api",
"text_counter": 224,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Speaker",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "Yes, Hon. Elisha."
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"id": 1562049,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1562049/?format=api",
"text_counter": 225,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Gem, ODM",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Elisha Odhiambo",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Hon. Speaker, I think I am largely satisfied. Initially there was a rigmarole of having to come back home and apply for some documents."
},
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"id": 1562050,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1562050/?format=api",
"text_counter": 226,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Speaker",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "No speech if you are satisfied. Do we need joyriders if the owner of the question is satisfied?"
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"id": 1562051,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1562051/?format=api",
"text_counter": 227,
"type": "scene",
"speaker_name": "",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "(Loud consultations)"
}
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