How Ruto Will Deal With Saudi Arabia Crisis
The decision to have Kenyans living abroad represented in Ruto's cabinet stemmed from the fact that they were not being represented well enough.
Marvin Chege 
President William Ruto has given Kenyans in the diaspora a massive shot in the arm through the establishment of a Ministry in their favour to deal with issues including the Saudi Arabia crisis.
Ruto's administration will create the Ministry of Diaspora to address issues affecting its citizens even as it focuses to boost remittances. This is as he termed the Diaspora Kenya's 48th county from the 47 counties within the borders of the Republic.
The decision to have Kenyans living abroad represented in Ruto's cabinet stemmed from the fact that they were not being represented well enough.
"We have elevated our diaspora to be the 48th County. The complaint has been that the diaspora has not received the attention they deserve. The focus has been on remittances, while their fundamental rights as citizens have been neglected," he addressed in his inauguration speech on Tuesday, September 13.
To correct the oversight, Ruto added that he will pledge to:
- Elevate diaspora issues at a ministry level.
- Strengthen diaspora services in all embassies.
- Work with parliament to set up a committee that will exclusively deal with diaspora issues.
- Set up a mechanism for public participation by the Diaspora.
- Work closely with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to expand and enhance diaspora participation in elections.
The diaspora was a notable group that participated in the August 9 general elections whereby 10,444 registered to vote between Ruto and Raila Odinga of the Azimio la Umoja coalition for the presidential seat.
On his government working with Parliament to deal with diaspora matters alone, the committee that will be set up on Diaspora and Migrant Workers is expected to take shape in the coming days once lawmakers are placed in the August House team.
The committee, consisting of 14 members will deal with all matters relating to the protection of the rights and welfare of Kenyans in the diaspora. It will also handle all issues facing Kenyan nationals with dual citizenship, Kenyan migrant workers and their families abroad and Kenyans undertaking studies abroad.
Its establishment will be seen as a response by the Ruto government to an increase in the number of Kenyans migrating abroad for greener pastures, only to walk into the traps of abusive employers in the Middle East.
On the same day Kenyan student, Diana Chepkemoi, landed at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on Tuesday, September 6 after a torrid time in Saudi Arabia, hundreds of other girls were waiting to fly to Saudi Arabia, with a 22-year-old who secured employment opportunities in the Gulf expressing that she was not scared of the horror stories, even that of Chepkemoi who was inches closer to her at the airport.
"Anyone can die anywhere. I have heard about those cases, but it does not mean it will happen to me. After all, anyone can die anywhere. We will all die and it could also happen to me while in Kenya.
"I did catering in school, but I've not secured a good job. I only earned Ksh200 per day from the hotels I have worked in. This job in Saudi (Arabia) could be my luck," she stated.
A rising number of Kenyan youth are seeking jobs abroad to escape the high level of unemployment in the country. About 1.2 million Kenyan youth join the labour market every year.
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