The Kenyan government has launched an urgent evacuation plan for its citizens in Lebanon due to escalating tensions in the region.
The Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs HAS expressed deep concern over the deteriorating situation and called for immediate action. Kenyan nationals in Lebanon are being urged to relocate to safer areas within the country or leave entirely if possible. To facilitate the evacuation process, the Ministry has established multiple registration channels. Citizens in Lebanon are encouraged to register promptly through a provided link or contact the Ministry via designated phone numbers.
The Ministry has also made provisions for Kenyans with family members in Lebanon, allowing them to call the same numbers for safety coordination or visit the Ministry’s offices in Nairobi. Recognizing the importance of widespread communication, the Ministry has called upon Kenyans in the diaspora to help disseminate this critical information, particularly to those in Lebanon. The State Department for Diaspora Affairs has assured citizens abroad that their safety remains a top priority and that ongoing updates will be available through their social media platforms.
The situation in Lebanon has become increasingly volatile, with Beirut airport witnessing a surge of people attempting to leave the country on August 5, amid fears of an impending full-scale conflict. Recent events, including the assassination of Hamas’ leader in Tehran and an Israeli strike on Beirut’s suburbs that killed a high-ranking Hezbollah commander, have heightened tensions. Both Hezbollah and Iran have pledged retaliation against Israel, raising concerns about a potential regional war.
The impact of these tensions is particularly severe in southern Lebanon, where hospitals, already strained by years of economic hardship, are struggling to cope with the influx of wounded patients from the ongoing exchanges between Hezbollah and Israeli forces. Kenya has a significant presence in Lebanon’s workforce. According to a 2022 International Labour Organization report, Lebanon experienced an increase in its Kenyan community in 2021, with over 3,000 new workers entering the country. This trend continued in October 2023, when an additional 1,500 Kenyans moved to Lebanon for employment opportunities.
The Kenyan Consulate in Beirut reports that the majority of these workers are women employed in domestic roles, with others working in various skilled positions across different sectors. The broader Middle East region is experiencing heightened tension following Iran’s vow of retaliation against Israel for the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas leader. Haniyeh was killed on July 31 in Tehran by what Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps described as a “short-range projectile,” just hours after he attended the swearing-in ceremony for Iran’s new president.
