Evacuation plans for Kenyans in Israel and Iran underway - PS Njogu

Evacuation plans for Kenyans in Israel and Iran are being operationalised as the hostilities in the Middle East spiral.

Diaspora Affairs PS Roseline Njogu on Thursday told the Star that the government is working on the evacuation plans, but first needs to have those affected register with Kenyan missions in Tehran and Tel Aviv.

“All well and accounted for. We continue to ask those not registered to register ASAP with the embassy.

Evacuation plans being operationalised,” Njogu said.

On Wednesday, the PS had issued an advisory, urging Kenyans in Israel and Iran, which are involved in bombardments, to exercise extreme caution and avoid non-essential movement within troubled zones.

A Kenyan who previously lived in Israel explained to the Star that in event of such attacks, the government sends alerts prior so that residents can seek refuge in bomb shelters.

“Many of the new buildings have bomb shelters and where there are none, government has put up designated shelters for cover. So they send the alerts on apps and this covers everyone, including foreigners, as long as you have installed the apps,” she said.

In the statement, Njogu further asked Kenyans in the region to monitor local media and follow local authority instructions to ensure their safety.

She further urged Kenyans there to contact Kenya’s missions in the respective states if they require urgent assistance or in distress.

“Register your presence with the Kenya mission near you if you have not done so, to ensure you can be reached quickly in case of evacuation or emergency support. Stay connected and maintain regular contact with family members and inform them of your whereabouts and well-being," she said.

"The government continues to monitor the situation in the region and remains fully committed to the safety and welfare of Kenyans wherever they are."

This comes amidst cash constraints in the ministry after the Department of Diaspora Affairs failed to be allocated Sh163 million for emergency response and evacuation of Kenyans abroad in case of distress.

In October last year, the government allocated Sh100 million to help in the evacuation of Kenyans during the conflict between Israel and Lebanon.

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi at the time told the Senate that the government was committed to ensuring that no Kenyan, out of the 26,000 in the region, was left stranded amid the ongoing insecurity in the Middle East.

Other states, including from Africa, have started evacuating their nationals from the two countries.

Ghana, for instance, has approved emergency evacuation plan for 922 Ghanaians, including 65 students, in Israel and is only awaiting authorisation by Israeli authorities.

In Europe, agencies have reported that the Czech Republic and Slovakia evacuated 181 people on government planes on Tuesday, while Germany had scheduled flights for Wednesday and Thursday via Jordan.

Poland said the first of its citizens were due to arrive back on Wednesday, while Greece had repatriated 105 of its citizens plus a number of foreign nationals via Egypt.