Nairobi — The Senate Ad Hoc Committee on coronavirus has urged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to facilitate the evacuation of broke Kenyans living abroad, with priority given to students.

Sakaja wants Omamo to submit a detailed report by June 19 indicating the criteria used identify the Kenyans in the diaspora eligible for support and measures taken by the Ministry to mobilize resources to facilitate them.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs should set a criterion on eligibility of Kenyans in the diaspora who are in dire need of coming back home but cannot afford air-tickets, giving priority to students," the committed recommended in its sixth progress report.

Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Ambassador Macharia Kamau is on record stating that evacuating Kenyans stranded abroad would be costly with the government opting to ask Kenyans willing to come back home to meet their travel costs.

Sakaja however, challenged the Ministry to make a request for support from the various emergency funds that have been set up to mitigate the effects of COVID 19, to ensure that all Kenyans willing to come back home are facilitated.