Kenyans who willingly head into troubled countries abroad could find themselves with little backing from the state, as the government hinted at plans to review its rescue policy.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while issuing an update on the rescue of Kenyans caught in the swindling rings of Myanmar, said, "...blanket assistance strains resources and erodes accountability," threatening to change the way it operates while responding to distressed Kenyans.
In its press statement on Monday, December 22, the government directed families of the remaining Kenyans pending repatriation in foreign countries to procure return tickets independently and not depend on the government for that.
“86 Kenyans in military shelters initially refused cooperation, demanding government-funded tickets and spreading falsehoods on social media, but shared next-of-kin details on December 19, 2025,” the press statement read.
The government also announced the repatriation of 119 Kenyans who had been successfully repatriated from Myanmar following recent raids by Myanmar authorities and rebel groups.
This follows an operation where Myanmar security officials raided the swindling compounds. The operators of the camps fled, abandoning workers, including over 200 Kenyans who sought refuge in military shelters in Myawaddy and Shwe Kokko, while another group of over 100 Kenyans crossed over to Thailand.
The ministry has announced that 198 Kenyans await repatriation; this includes 66 in Thailand's IDC and 129 in Myanmar shelters. The Embassy is also in touch with 3 Kenyans in the Caritas Catholic safe house in Cambodia.
The ministry also revealed that most of those seeking repatriation entered Thailand on tourist visas between April 2024 and November 2025, ignoring the "employment prohibited" endorsement on the visa.
The government has revealed that it conducted investigations at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), where it found that the majority of those travelling to foreign countries insist that they are travelling to the countries for tourism.
The government also says that many Kenyans staying unlawfully abroad bypassed prior government evacuations, including the major one in March 2025, knowingly returning to swindling work.
The ministry further warned that government-funded rescue missions for individuals who knowingly engage in unlawful activities risk moral hazard for the country.
“Government-funded rescues for those knowingly engaging in unlawful swindling activities risk moral hazard, undermining travel advisories, safe migration policies, and deterrence against transnational crime,” the statement read.
Upon arrival in Kenya, the repatriated Kenyans are interviewed by the DCI's Transnational Organised Crime Unit (TOCU) to pursue syndicate prosecutions.
