The number of Kenyans who died outside the country increased notably last year, highlighting growing concerns over the welfare of citizens living and working abroad. A new report by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics shows that deaths of Kenyans abroad rose from 270 in 2023 to 305 in 2024, marking a 13 per cent increase.

According to data from the Bureau’s Civil Registration and Vital Statistics System, of the total deaths recorded, 184 were male while 121 were female.

The United States reported the highest number of Kenyan deaths at 71, followed by India with 50, and Uganda with 22. Other countries included the UK (19), Tanzania (18), Saudi Arabia (15), South Africa (15), United Arab Emirates (14), Qatar (12), and Canada (eight).

An additional 61 deaths were recorded from various other countries.

The age group with the highest number of recorded deaths was those aged 50–54, accounting for 38 cases. The age group with the fewest deaths was 20–24 years, with only two reported.

No deaths were recorded among children aged five to nine and teenagers between 10 and 19 years.

Although more men died abroad than women in most age categories, the report noted exceptions in three brackets. These include the 30–34 group with 13 males and 17 females, the 50–54 group with 18 males and 20 females, and the 65–69 group which recorded 11 male and 15 female deaths.

“These figures help us understand our population trends and inform key decisions in public health and planning,” read a statement from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. The report is part of a broader annual release covering statistics on births, deaths, marriages, and adoptions.

The increase in deaths of Kenyans abroad comes amid ongoing concerns over the safety and wellbeing of citizens working in foreign countries, especially in the Gulf region.

Appearing before the Senate plenary on Wednesday, Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi disclosed that at least 316 Kenyans have died while working in Gulf countries since 2022.

“The records we have show that the total number of Kenyans who have lost their lives in the Gulf region is 316,” Mudavadi said.

Saudi Arabia was identified as the country with the highest number of Kenyan deaths in the region, with 166 fatalities, followed by Qatar (58), United Arab Emirates (51), Iraq (25), Bahrain (10), and Kuwait (6). No deaths were reported in Oman and Iran.

According to Mudavadi, an estimated 416,548 Kenyans are currently working in the Gulf region. Saudi Arabia hosts the majority at 310,266, followed by Qatar with 66,025 and the UAE with 23,000. The rest are distributed in Bahrain (8,000), Oman (5,392), Kuwait (3,515), Iran (200), and Iraq (150).

However, he admitted that gathering accurate data continues to be a challenge.

“Kenyans in these territories exhibit high movement between various states,” he said.
“The numbers given constitute periodic statistics derived from our missions in these countries, further corroborated through official sources of the host governments.”

Mudavadi also noted that many Kenyans fail to register with Kenyan embassies despite ongoing efforts to encourage them to do so.