Over 7,000 Kenyans remain stranded in Lebanon amid the escalating conflict between Israel and Hamas, according to Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi.
PCS Mudavadi also revealed that of the estimated 26,000 Kenyans in Lebanon, 7,119 have registered for evacuation.
“Initially, registration was slow, but as the war intensifies, we have seen an increase in numbers, and we expect that they will rise even further,” Mudavadi explained.
So far, authorities have successfully repatriated only 35 Kenyans, and Principal Secretary Roseline Njogu announced that another group is set to return over the weekend.
“We are facing numerous challenges due to the war, so they are coming back in batches of 5 or 7, depending on the availability of space,” she explained.
Mudavadi cautioned Kenyans against traveling to conflict zones and stressed that officials are planning a mass evacuation, starting with safer areas before utilizing air transport.
“We can’t estimate the cost of this operation or how long it will take, but we are exploring other means to ensure that we bring all Kenyans home,” he added.
