• The DP's sentiments follow the death of three Kenyans in the US, the latest case being a media attache at Kenya's consulate in Los Angeles.
• Last week the Foreign Affairs Ministry was on the spot after it emerged that some Kenyans were being discriminated in China.
Image: DPPS
Deputy President William Ruto has said Kenyans living abroad are facing numerous challenges as the Covid-19 pandemic continues to spread globally.
Ruto on Tuesday said about three million of them have not been spared by the challenges associated with the virus.
The DP's sentiments follow the death of three Kenyans in the US, the latest case being a media attache at Kenya's consulate in Los Angeles.
The three are said to have succumbed after developing symptoms associated with Covid-19.
So far the virus has left 208 people infected and nine dead in the country.
Forty patients have recovered.
Over 1.9 million confirmed cases have been reported globally with over 119,000 deaths.
"We have three million Kenyans in the diaspora. The serious challenges of Covid-19 here at home has not spared them. Our staff at embassies around the world are doing their utmost to ensure assistance is available. GoK through the Foreign Affairs Ministry will be issuing a comprehensive statement on the same," Ruto said.
Last week the ministry was on the spot after it emerged that some Kenyans were being discriminated in China.
It was reported that the Kenyans were among Africans that had been denied access to essential services amid the second wave of Covid-19 infections in the Asian nation.
In a story run by a local TV station, a group of people believed to be Africans, including Kenyans, are seen being driven out of their homes by Chinese police officers.
In the story, several Kenyans complained of how they had been forced to sleep in the cold after they were thrown out of their houses.
The Kenyans said they had not been given any explanation as to why they had been thrown out.
"All we have seen is posters indicating this community does not allow foreigners especially of the black origin, throw them out immediately," one of them said.
They said those who have been locked out of their houses were being forced into a 14-day quarantine in an unknown location.
According to them, for four days they had been denied access to essential services.
These actions sparked social media outrage with some calling for the evacuation of Kenyan citizens.
Others demanded action from the Foreign Affairs Ministry and removal of Kenya's Ambassador to China Sarah Serem for failing to rise up to the occasion.
But the ministry in its response said it will work with the Chinese authorities to resolve the issue involving Kenyans being mistreated in China.
In a statement last Friday, the ministry said it was aware of a recent decision by the Government of China to undertake stringent testing of foreigners and Chinese nationals alike, to forestall imported and asymptomatic cases of Covid -19 in Guangzhou and other areas of China.
"Unfortunately, these measures have in some instances precipitated unfair responses against foreigners particularly of African origin, from some members of the local community in Guangzhou, especially landlords," the Ministry said.