By Anderson Ojwang
The USA–Israel war against Iran is having significant socio-economic impact on Kenya and may hurt its monthly remittances from the Middle East.
The Middle East has become a destination for hundreds of thousands of Kenyan youths seeking employment.
Currently, approximately 400,000 to 500,000 Kenyans are employed in the Middle East, primarily in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait.
From the statistics, Saudi Arabia accounts for approximately 310,000+ workers, while Qatar accounts for over 66,000, and the UAE accounts for approximately 30,000. These are the main hubs.
They largely work in domestic, construction, security, hospitality and aviation sectors. These jobs are a major source of remittances, though currently at risk due to regional conflicts.
A report by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) has revealed a grim picture over the future of Kenya’s migrant workers following the outbreak of war in the Middle East.
The report says that the International Organization for Migration reports that Gulf states are a key destination for migrant workers from Eastern Africa.
“Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda were the main origin countries for migrant workers to the Gulf Cooperation Council states where they worked in areas as diverse as hospitality, retail, construction and security,” it says.
The report says the remitt
