Officials seek policy input from Ugandans in Kenya
The delegation, led by senior presidential advisor on diaspora affairs and head of the State House Diaspora Unit, Mohammed Bagonza, included officials from the ministries of foreign affairs and finance.
The Ugandan delegation led by Mohammed Bagonza, the Head of the State House Diaspora Unit (seated third from right), pose for photo with staff of the Uganda High Commission in Kenya. (Courtesy photo)
Hannington Mutabazi
Journalist @New Vision
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The Ugandan High Commission in Kenya on Tuesday (May 01, 2025) hosted a delegation from Uganda on a benchmarking trip focused on the diaspora policy.
The delegation, led by senior presidential advisor on diaspora affairs and head of the State House Diaspora Unit, Mohammed Bagonza, included officials from the ministries of foreign affairs and finance.
Mohammed Bagonza, the Senior Presidential Advisor on Diaspora Affairs and Head of the State House Diaspora Unit, gifts Ambassador Eunice Kigenyi, the Chargé d'Affaires at the Uganda High Commission with President Yoweri Museveni's book, Sowing the Mustard Seed. (Courtesy photo)
According to a media release seen by New Vision, the delegation was welcomed by Chargé d'Affaires Eunice Kigenyi. They held discussions with leaders of the Ugandan diaspora in Kenya to gather insights for the formulation of the diaspora policy.
According to the release, during the discussions, the Ugandan diaspora raised several key issues for consideration in the policy, including
▪️ Addressing the challenges faced by the diaspora when investing in Uganda.
▪️ Standardising educational qualifications between Kenya and Uganda.
▪️ Introducing health insurance schemes to support relatives back home.
▪️ Assisting migrant workers in distress, including provisions for repatriation.
▪️ Implementing financial packages to facilitate the sending of money home, with the goal of lowering remittance costs.
The points were emphasised as essential for developing a comprehensive diaspora policy.
Mohammed Bagonza, the Senior Presidential Advisor on Diaspora Affairs and Head of the State House Diaspora Unit, addressing some of the members of the Uganda diaspora in Kenya. (Courtesy photo)
Bagonza praised the diaspora for their contributions to the country's development.
He outlined several initiatives the Government is implementing to enhance service delivery to the diaspora, including the Diaspora App, which will serve as a one-stop centre for all information related to diaspora services; the Diaspora Management and Information System for the registration of all Ugandans living abroad; and a toll-free communication center to promptly address concerns from the diaspora.
He encouraged members of the diaspora to establish associations to facilitate easier access to government support programs.
The Ugandan delegation is on a three-day benchmarking visit to the Republic of Kenya, which recently launched its second diaspora policy in 2024. Kenya receives $4.94 billion (about sh18.07 trillion) in remittances from its citizens living abroad.