Mobile Consular Services Reach Kenyans in the USA, Turkey and Ethiopia

The Kenyan government has launched its latest round of Mobile Consular Services (MCS) to assist Kenyans living abroad with accessing vital documents and consular services.

Teams have been dispatched to Istanbul, Turkey, Boston, US, and Jijiga, Ethiopia to bring these services directly to the diaspora communities.

Istanbul, Turkey

The MCS team kicked off in Istanbul, where large numbers of Kenyans came out to apply for and replace national ID cards, passports, birth certificates and other documents. The exercise launched on March 31st in the Sisli district. The team was also stationed in Istanbul on April 1st ahead of their visit to Karabuk University from April 2-3.

Boston, United States

Across the Atlantic in Boston, the first day of the MCS program took place on March 30th drawing Kenyans from across the region. Many took the opportunity to replace ID cards, reapply for or renew passports, and apply for birth certificates. The MCS camp will remain in Boston through April 2nd to continue serving the Kenyan diaspora community.

Jijiga, Ethiopia

In the Ethiopian city of Jijiga, Ambassador George Orina led the launch of MCS services for Kenyans in that area. Attendees were able to reapply for and upgrade documents like passports, ID cards and birth certificates. Some also applied for police clearance certificates and declarations of citizenship. The event concluded with a cultural evening allowing interactions between embassy staff, the MCS team and local Kenyan residents.

The Mobile Consular Services program is part of the Kenyan government's "Huduma Majuu" (Excellent Service) initiative to increase the accessibility of services for citizens at home and abroad. This follows similar MCS events in Copenhagen, Denmark that saw a seamless provision of essential services such as birth certificates and passports for Kenyan nationals and their families. Dedicated teams from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade were on-site to ensure efficient delivery of these vital services, catering to the needs of those requiring documentation for travel back home. In Djibouti, the Mobile Consular Services were seamless with Ambassador George MacGoye leading the charge.