More than 470 Kenyans who were repatriated from South Africa under a government-assisted return programme have been hit with five-year bans from re-entering the country.
The affected Kenyans had accepted an offer by the Kenyan government to facilitate their return from South Africa after they encountered immigration difficulties in the country.
However, the return programme has left many of them unable to go back to South Africa for the next five years.
The ban reportedly applies to those who were repatriated after being found to have breached South Africa’s immigration laws.
The development means the affected Kenyans cannot legally return to South Africa during the period of the restriction, even if they later secure opportunities to travel or work there.
The situation has raised concerns among the returnees, particularly those who had businesses, jobs or other interests in South Africa before their repatriation.
The five-year restriction also highlights the immigration consequences faced by foreign nationals who remain in South Africa without valid documentation.
The affected Kenyans had been repatriated as part of efforts to resolve their immigration status and facilitate their return home.
The development comes amid wider concerns over the treatment and status of African migrants in South Africa, where undocumented foreigners have continued to face immigration enforcement and periodic anti-migrant tensions.
The Kenyan government’s repatriation initiative was intended to assist its citizens return home, but the subsequent travel bans have created uncertainty for those hoping to resume their lives in South Africa.
