Kenya’s Diaspora is a Force to Reckon With in Planning the Country’s Future

Kenya’s new economic diplomacy is working. This was evident at the Kenya Diaspora Conference held in Washington, DC, from October 7 to 9. Until then, the three million Kenyans in the diaspora were known mostly for their remittances, estimated at $642 million in 2010. What emerged from the conference organised by the Kenyan Embassy in the US was a clear determination by the diaspora to “go beyond remittances” and focus on long-term economic transformation as exalted by the conference host, ambassador Elkanah Odembo.