And yet it is so simple. It does not need a constitutional review. Just by passing a bill in parliament. Simple and yet they have audacity to talk about Alvaro.

info is money

Dual citzenship is not a small matter.
What rights do you earn as a dual citizen .... where do they pay taxes.
Do they have right to tax payer amenities as non dual citizens.

Do not assume dual citizens are only in the first world. Some people from countries less priviledge from ours can claim rights as citizens then what do you say and do.

We have bigger problems than trying to recruit more people into kenyan citizenship like making teh current kenyan citizens one which is so hard with all this negative tribalism going round
So don't trivialize dual citizenship by qualifying it 'with israel and ghana have it!!!'

veni vedi vici

Being patriotic or nationalistic is a personal choice. If Kenyans living in Kenya have chosen to live with bigotry and tribalism,then shame on them. Being physically present in Kenya does not give an individual more claim of the homeland than Kenyans elsewhere. I guess determining taxes and the other things would take more than 210 MPS all hands on deck less than 10 munutes.

Taxation should be based on where the income is generated or where the transaction is carried out. I donot think it is a complex thing. Most of the kenyans in diaspora are already doing it. If one was to buy say a house; you will pay the stamp duty. If you invest in a company here; it pays corporate tax; VAT etc.

Dual citizenship has nothing to do with national cohesion. Our ethnic problems are deep rooted. They may no go away in this century. And we have many other problems that are a reflection of our society such us not being able to have sober discussions here on SK without being abusive. So lets separate the issues.


info is money

Citizenship is one of those things that you have to think long and hard about. It is like marriage - you really have to think about the person you want to live with the rest of your life...without ever considering the possibility of having a second partner. If you are unhappy with your spouse,then leave them first before starting another relationship...you cannot serve two masters at the same time!!!!!!

Same with citizenship - you have to consider carefully which country you wish to 'belong' to. Once you have made up your mind,then you have to drop your loyalty to the current one and dedicate yourself to the new country of choice.

But then again,there is the interesting case of Obama whom many Kenyans consider to be their countryman yet he is a US citizen,by birth! This is the principle used by Israel. According to Israelis,all Jews wherever they live,are Israeli citizens - whether they have papers to that effect or not!

In my view,if I ever decide to take any other country's citizenship,I will surrender my Kenyan one immediately - whether or not the law will allow me to hold dual citizenship.

For that reason,I don't understand why people are asking for dual citizenship.

So? How does that relate to dual citizenship? One can still send the money even if not a citizen of Kenya,can't they?

@ tony stark - these days,war is not won on number of troupes but on number of bullet-equivalents you can fire per second.

the Israeli policy is a matter of nationalism,not military might.

By the way,when one gets dual citizenship,what nationality are they?

If it is the Kenyans resident in Kenya who will gain from the 'enthusiasm,how come the calls for this dual citizenship are coming from those in the diaspora?

@ muhika
I dont think the american's will agree with you on the numbers.
@caesar
To cut a long story short how will i gain from dual citizenship. I have no relatives who send me remittance,and there money just goes to there relatives anyway. They raise the raise the property value beyond what my meagre salary can afford. I dont want to compete with them.
So why should my taxes be used on this individuals really?
IF you can answer this simple question then you will be 1/10000000000 through your task of trying to single handely covinving kenyans why they need dual citizenship.
Don't forget about the EAC how will the dual citizens be treated and other international treaties and agreements we have with other countries.

veni vedi vici

@ Mukiha,Tony Stark & all those opposed to dual citizenship

Is every decision made in the national agenda meant to benefit you? I don't think so. When Kenya hosted people running away from countries in turmoil,you paid for it through taxation; did you directly gain? When government raises taxes,do you benefit directly? When questionable 'expatriates' are given work permits,how does this benefit you?

And just because you are not gaining,does not mean it is purposeless or that someone else should not!

Kenyans in diaspora need dual citizenship for several reasons; one being not to have to obtain and renew entry visas every so often when they are back in Kenya. Even though visa renewal is a revenue source,most people may bring in more productivity to the economy if they do not have to think that someone with ulterior motives can opt to deny them stay.

Most people left to improve their situations and I see nothing wrong with that.They still have strong links back home (including spouses and children) and strong desire to return back someday. I see nothing wrong with that either. Many have taken up their foreign country's residence or citizenship so as access services and be able to work. They pay tax where they work/earn income,i.e. to the host's taxation authority,and tax on their investments in Kenya to KRA. Some send remittances,others invest and some do both.

Increase in property values in Kenya is not a diaspora effect alone as some contend. People in Kenya have had access to cheaper loans + other liquidity sources,in the last couple years and have naturally turned to property investment for higher returns.

As Ceasar mentions,some Kenyan non-citizens may be more enthusiastic in investing if they had claim to their original country's citizenship. Not knowing how existing and future laws would affect them,many would rather hold back and only send remittances. Sending remittances is but just a small % of resources the diaspora members can put to work in the economy.

As someone mentioned,people pay taxes where they earn,so anyone who earns in Kenya will pay taxes in Kenya. Where this and other matters (voting,holding elective or political office,etc) conflict,they can be legislated. That is what parliament is for.

Besides,there are ways to go about things too,in absence of dual citizenship (so why deny it?)

One is for a family to have one member maintain Kenyan Citizenship and be the primary front in Kenya,while the other family member(s) maintain the foreign country's citizenship.

Another is simply to renounce Foreign country's citizenship when one return's home.

I for one have maintained my Kenyan citizenship,and my host country does not require me to be a citizen to access most services,so that is one way I go around this issue!

'Debt may go bad but it never rots.' Chinua Achebe