Rabat –Standing before a hall of Kenyans living in Morocco, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi had a clear message: obey the laws of your host country and carry the nation’s flag with dignity.
“We must respect the places that have welcomed us,” Mudavadi told the crowd in Rabat, during a diaspora engagement held alongside Africa Day celebrations hosted by the Kingdom of Morocco. “You cannot import the chaos from home into someone else’s country.”
His remarks were firm but tinged with reassurance. At a time when political temperatures are rising back in Nairobi, Mudavadi aimed to steady the waters for Kenyans abroad. He dismissed the noise on social media and in local politics as the grumblings of a few.
“Don’t be bothered by what you see online,” he said. “The government is focused. We’ve been in office for more than two years, and we’re determined to deliver.”
The meeting brought together Kenyan nationals from across Morocco including Rabat, Casablanca, Marrakech and Kenitra many of whom are students, professionals or entrepreneurs.
Mudavadi used the occasion to highlight some of the government’s progress, pointing to the Affordable Housing Programme and the rollout of Universal Health Coverage. He cited a sharp rise in health registrations, noting that over 21 million Kenyans have now signed up for the new Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), compared to just 9 million previously under NHIF.
He acknowledged challenges but hinted at resistance from individuals who had benefitted under past systems.
“There are people who were comfortable under the old arrangements,” he said. “They’d rather sabotage progress than see reforms succeed.”
But beyond domestic policy, his tone sharpened when addressing the conduct of Kenyans overseas. He expressed concern that negative behavior by a few could damage the country’s image abroad or worse, trigger xenophobia.
“Let’s not allow the actions of a handful to paint the whole country in a bad light,” he warned. “That’s not fair to the millions doing the right thing.”
He reminded his audience that while Kenya’s 2010 Constitution enshrines many freedoms, these don’t always extend across borders.
“This isn’t Nairobi,” he said pointedly. “If you cause trouble here, Morocco’s laws will deal with you not Kenya’s.”
The Prime CS urged the diaspora to act as role models respectful, hardworking, and mindful of the impact their actions could have back home and abroad.
The government, he stressed, is keeping its eye on the bigger picture, including strengthening diplomatic ties and pushing ahead with its development goals. But that effort, he added, requires every Kenyan at home or abroad to act with discipline and purpose.
His message, while diplomatic, left little room for doubt: the world is watching, and Kenya’s global image is everyone’s responsibility.
