Kenyan workers serving in diplomatic missions abroad are reportedly enduring prolonged periods without salary payments, sometimes stretching for several months, raising concern over their welfare and the country’s global image, Narok Senator Ledama Olekina has claimed.
Olekina said the situation paints a troubling picture of how Kenya treats its employees stationed in foreign missions, who are expected to represent the country’s interests while struggling to meet their basic needs. He argued that delayed salaries not only affect morale but also risk undermining the effectiveness of Kenya’s diplomatic operations abroad.
According to the senator, some staff members in embassies and consulates have been forced to rely on personal savings, loans, or support from colleagues to survive while waiting for their pay. He warned that such conditions could expose workers to financial stress and reputational vulnerability in host countries where they are expected to maintain a professional image of Kenya.
“These are people who are representing the country, yet they cannot afford basic living expenses because salaries are delayed for months,” Olekina said, adding that the situation requires urgent government attention and reform in payroll management systems for overseas staff.
He further noted that diplomatic staff play a crucial role in advancing Kenya’s foreign policy, promoting trade, supporting citizens abroad, and strengthening bilateral relations. As such, he said, failing to pay them on time risks weakening Kenya’s diplomatic presence and credibility on the international stage.
Olekina urged the National Treasury and the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs to investigate the causes of the delays and ensure that diplomatic missions are adequately funded and managed. He also called for improved accountability mechanisms to prevent recurring salary arrears.
The senator emphasized that workers abroad face unique challenges, including high cost of living in foreign cities, immigration requirements, and limited access to local financial support systems. Delayed salaries, he said, worsen these challenges and could lead to demoralization and high staff turnover within diplomatic missions.
He concluded by calling for immediate intervention, stressing that Kenya must uphold the dignity of its foreign service officers by ensuring timely payment of their salaries and better working conditions.
The remarks have sparked renewed debate over public-sector payroll management and the welfare of Kenyan staff deployed on missions abroad, with calls expected for further clarification from government officials responsible for foreign service administration.