NAIROBI, Kenya — The State Department for Diaspora Affairs has given Kenyans stranded in South Africa until Tuesday, July 7, to register for evacuation ahead of the government’s final repatriation flight scheduled for Thursday, July 9.
The evacuation programme was launched following escalating anti-migrant protests, immigration enforcement operations and xenophobic attacks that have threatened the safety of foreign nationals across parts of South Africa.
In a notice, Principal Secretary for Diaspora Affairs Roseline Njogu urged Kenyans wishing to return home to immediately register with the Kenya High Commission in Pretoria.
“The evacuation exercise will conclude on Thursday, July 9, 2026, with the final repatriation flight scheduled to depart from Johannesburg on that date,” Njogu said.
She said the Kenya High Commission will complete the vetting and processing of applicants by July 7, adding that only those who have been registered, vetted and cleared will be allowed to board the final flight.
The High Commission has been coordinating the government’s emergency response, providing temporary shelter, food, travel documentation and other humanitarian assistance to affected citizens.
More than 240 Kenyans have so far registered for emergency assistance.
According to government figures, about 30,000 Kenyans live and work in South Africa, the majority of them legally.
The evacuation follows a wave of unrest linked to anti-immigration demonstrations that intensified ahead of a June 30 deadline issued by some anti-immigration groups demanding that undocumented foreign nationals leave the country.
By July 2, the government had evacuated 180 Kenyans through several repatriation flights from Johannesburg to Nairobi.
Many of those who have returned home reported losing jobs, businesses and personal property during the violence.
Some described incidents of looting, home invasions, physical assaults and attacks on foreign-owned businesses, forcing them to flee with few belongings.
The Kenyan government has thanked South African authorities for supporting the evacuation exercise while continuing to urge the protection of Kenyan nationals who remain in the country.
The State Department has advised affected Kenyans requiring assistance to contact the Kenya High Commission in Pretoria or the government’s 24-hour Diaspora Call and Response Centre as the evacuation exercise enters its final phase.