The Principal Secretary for Diaspora Affairs, Roseline Njogu, has called on Kenyans living abroad to actively safeguard and promote the country’s image on the global stage. Speaking during a fireside chat with Kenyan professionals, community leaders, and industry pioneers in Doha, Qatar on Thursday evening, PS Njogu emphasized the civic and patriotic duty of the diaspora to counter negative narratives and champion Kenya’s interests worldwide.
Accompanied by Kenya’s Ambassador to Qatar, Mohamed Nur Adan, PS Njogu stressed the importance of leveraging the diaspora’s strategic positions and global networks to showcase Kenya’s strengths in sectors such as tourism, investment, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), skilled labor, and manufacturing. “When you are in influential spaces and decision-making forums, make sure Kenya is mentioned,” she urged.
Njogu noted that the over 70,000 Kenyans residing in Qatar have the potential to significantly influence how the world views Kenya. She called for knowledge and skills transfer to support Kenya’s socio-economic transformation, particularly under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), which she outlined during the session.
In a passionate call for environmental stewardship, PS Njogu invited the diaspora community to support Kenya’s initiative of growing 15 billion trees by the year 2032. She encouraged them to collectively adopt a forest, thereby contributing meaningfully to increasing the country’s forest cover.
Furthermore, Njogu highlighted investment opportunities available to the diaspora, including through DhowCSD, a platform that allows Kenyans abroad to invest in government securities. She also pointed to promising prospects in health, ICT, agriculture, manufacturing, sports, and tourism sectors.
The session concluded with a lively interactive discussion, offering the diaspora an opportunity to directly engage with government officials, raise concerns, and explore practical ways to contribute to national development and promote Kenya’s global reputation.
PS Njogu’s visit underscores the government’s commitment to strengthening ties with the diaspora and recognizing their critical role in shaping Kenya’s future both at home and abroad.
