Gov't urges Kenyan mothers in Saudi Arabia to secure documents for their children

Principal Secretary for the State Department for Diaspora Affairs, Roseline Njogu has detailed the government's efforts to address the concerns involving Kenyan mothers and their undocumented children residing in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

In a press statement issued on Friday, the PS noted that Kenyan mothers in the Gulf region encounter legal issues as Saudi law deems pre- or extra-marital sex illegal, viewing subsequent conception and birth as an offense.

This, she said, often means Saudi authorities require a marriage certificate to issue a birth certificate, leaving many births out of wedlock unregistered as mothers fear severe penalties, including imprisonment and deportation. 

To counter this, the PS pointed to the government's Mwanamberi Project in 2023 which utilized DNA sampling to establish parentage and facilitate documentation for affected children.

Through this project, 707 DNA samples were collected, with 388 from children. Out of 113 applications, 110 birth certificates have been successfully processed.

However, the ministry noted that the response from the targeted parents to collect these crucial documents has been underwhelming.

"The Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs contacted all 110 parents via messages, direct calls and community circulars to collect the birth certificates from our Riyadh Embassy. To date, only a third have done so," PS Njogu said in the statement.

“The donors of the other samples were also contacted and advised to complete their birth certificate applications, but the response has been underwhelming." 

Further, the government established a Joint Interdepartmental Working Group with the Saudi Government to create a lawful path for the repatriations of Kenyan citizens. To date, PS Njogu added, 39 mothers and 73 children have been repatriated through the initiative. 

She added that the government also negotiated an amnesty for individuals who were out of status, allowing them to regularize their residency and return home without penalty, Despite these efforts, she noted that few Kenyans have utilized these options.

"We urge the single mothers in Saudi Arabia with undocumented children to utilise the pathways already created by the government to regularise their status and procure documentation for their children," Njogu urged.

"They may contact the Embassy of Kenya in Riyadh, the Consulate in Jeddah or the State Department for Diaspora Affairs in Nairobi. We urge those whose birth certificates are lying at the Kenya Embassy in Riyadh to immediately collect them." 

PS Njogu appealed to Kenyans abroad to adhere to the laws of their host countries, even where they differ from Kenyan law, and to register themselves through the ministry’s diaspora website and maintain contact with the nearest Kenyan mission for any form of assistance.