Ministry Repatriates Nearly 300 Bodies in Two Years, Committee Told

The State Department for Diaspora Affairs has repatriated close to 300 Kenyan bodies over the past two years, Principal Secretary Roseline Njogu has told the National Assembly’s Diaspora Affairs and Migrant Workers Committee.

Appearing before the committee, Ms. Njogu outlined the government’s efforts to return deceased Kenyans from foreign countries, with particular focus on a petition filed by the Integrated Center for Peace and Security regarding the death of Jesca Ziro in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Ms. Njogu said the Kenyan Embassy in Riyadh had initiated exhumation and repatriation procedures following the unauthorized burial of Ms. Ziro and eight other Kenyans. She noted that the embassy formally engaged the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs through diplomatic notes, high-level meetings and visits to morgues to secure approvals for exhumation.

“On 22nd December 2025, four of the bodies were exhumed and successfully repatriated, with the State Department meeting the full cost of transportation. The Ministry is actively pursuing the exhumation of the remaining four bodies, including that of the late Jesca K. Ziro,” she said.

Members of the committee, however, raised concerns over gaps in the documentation submitted, citing the absence of hospital admission records, death certificates and official correspondence between Kenyan and Saudi authorities.

In response, Ms. Njogu assured lawmakers that the outstanding documents would be furnished within a week.

The committee also sought clarification on Saudi regulations governing the preservation of bodies prior to burial. Ms. Njogu explained that Saudi law permits preservation for only 14 days before burial or repatriation. She added that the specific date of Ms. Ziro’s burial remains unknown, as official documentation relating to her death has yet to be released to the Kenyan Embassy.

Beyond the repatriation efforts, the Principal Secretary briefed the committee on the evolving security situation in the Middle East and its potential implications for Kenyans living and working in the region.

She said the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs has established a multi-agency steering committee to prepare for possible evacuation scenarios. The Ministry has also issued travel and security advisories and activated emergency communication channels to support Kenyans abroad.

Addressing reports of Kenyans allegedly being coerced into frontline combat in Russia, Ms. Njogu urged citizens seeking employment overseas to use registered recruitment agencies and adhere to official government procedures to safeguard their welfare.

The committee said it would continue to monitor the matter to ensure accountability and the protection of Kenyans working abroad.