The government has moved to reassure Kenyan single mothers trapped in Saudi Arabia that there are clear ways to help them leave the country with their undocumented children but says the existing systems are not being fully used.
In a statement, the State Department for Diaspora Affairs said that Kenya’s laws on citizenship and birth registration already provide a pathway for children born abroad to be documented. However, strict Saudi regulations have made the process difficult for many mothers.
Kenyan missions abroad are allowed to process birth notifications, but in Saudi Arabia, a marriage certificate is required before a birth certificate can be issued. This has left unmarried mothers unable to register their children.
“As per Saudi law, pre- or extra-marital sex is illegal and carries severe penalties, including arrest, imprisonment or deportation. A child born from such a relationship is treated as proof of the offence,” the statement signed by Diaspora PS Roseline Njogu noted.
The government stressed that, under Kenyan law, a child’s rights are not affected by their parents’ marital status creating a clear conflict between the two legal systems.
Mwanamberi Project to Help Establish Parentage
To support affected families, the government outlined several pathways, including the Mwanamberi Project launched in 2023. The initiative uses consular DNA testing to confirm parentage, allowing children born out of wedlock to get Kenyan birth certificates and citizenship documents.
Kenyan missions in Riyadh and Jeddah have also set up dedicated desks for mothers to submit documents and collect processed certificates.
“We urge the single mothers in KSA with undocumented children to use the pathways already created by the Government of Kenya,” the statement said, adding that some processed birth certificates remain uncollected at the Embassy in Riyadh.
Despite the outreach, uptake of the Mwanamberi Project has been low. Out of 113 applications, 110 birth certificates were processed, but only about a third have been collected.
Joint Efforts With Saudi Authorities
The government also highlighted a Joint Interdepartmental Working Group with Saudi agencies bringing together Kenya’s Embassy, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the General Directorate of Passports, the Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of Interior. Through this collaboration, 59 mothers and 73 children have been repatriated safely.
Kenya has additionally secured an amnesty for undocumented nationals, allowing them to leave or regularise their status without penalties.
Officials said the Embassy continues to reach out to mothers whose children’s documents are ready, urging them to collect them so they can begin the exit process.
Kenyans in distress have also been encouraged to register on the Diaspora Ministry’s website to help the government track and assist citizens more quickly during emergencies.
The statement comes days after Kiambu Senator Karung’o wa Thang’wa posted a video highlighting the struggles of a Kenyan mother in Saudi Arabia who had been forced to live on the streets after losing her job.
