Gachagua pledges greater role for diaspora in Kenya's governance, investment push

Speaking to Kenyans in Dallas, Texas, Gachagua positioned the expatriate community not as distant observers but as essential stakeholders in Kenya's future direction. He emphasized that their economic footprint demands a voice in how the country is managed.

"Though you are away from Kenya, you have such a big impact in what happens at home. And therefore you cannot be spectators in the management of the affairs of our country," Gachagua said.

The former Deputy President framed diaspora remittances as a major source of foreign exchange, arguing this reality should translate into greater political influence and representation in his proposed administration.

Gachagua outlined specific measures to integrate diaspora expertise into Kenya's diplomatic corps. He promised to appoint qualified Kenyans living abroad to ambassadorial and deputy ambassadorial positions, stressing that their lived experience in their host countries would strengthen Kenya's diplomatic effectiveness.

He took a direct swipe at current diplomatic appointments, saying it made no sense to station ambassadors who lacked familiarity with their posting countries.

"I have said many times, it doesn't make sense to bring an ambassador here in Washington who has never been in America all his life," he said.

As part of the initiative, Gachagua pledged to establish a Kenyan consulate in Texas, targeting the growing Kenyan population in the state and facilitating easier access to diplomatic services.

"I want to give you a promise that my administration will give an opportunity to people in diaspora to be our envoys," Gachagua said.

Beyond governance, Gachagua called on the diaspora to channel capital back to Kenya, specifically into manufacturing, agro-processing, and value-added production. He framed diaspora investment as crucial to addressing Kenya's youth unemployment challenge.

"I want to invite you to partner with us to create jobs for our young people. And the only way to do it is for you to invest back home so that we start manufacturing plants, agro-processing, value addition and create jobs," he said.

To make Kenya an attractive investment destination, Gachagua pledged his administration would tackle corruption and remove bureaucratic barriers that have historically deterred diaspora investment.

"I'm inviting you and assuring you that next year we'll fix these things and make Kenya your destination of choice for investment," he said.