A compounding humanitarian crisis is unfolding along Denis Pritt Road in Nairobi’s Kilimani area, where hundreds of displaced Burundian families have set up makeshift camps outside the Embassy of the Republic of Burundi.
Pushed out of their homes, communities, and livelihoods across Kenya following sudden forced departure orders, foreign traders and families now find themselves stranded under the open sky.
The growing encampment comes after a nationwide government directive aimed at small-scale foreign traders.
While diplomatic processes and policy debates unfold behind closed doors, displaced citizens – including mothers, young children, and elderly persons – are enduring appalling conditions on the roadside, lacking access to basic shelter, proper sanitation, clean drinking water, and regular meals.
Refusing to remain a silent bystander to the suffering unfolding at his doorstep, Kenyan entrepreneur and philanthropist Kennedy Omondi launched a grassroots relief effort, committing to provide daily breakfasts and lunches to the displaced families.
Omondi described scenes of profound sorrow and dignified restraint upon arriving at the embassy grounds with initial provisions.
“Sleeping under the open sky, exposed to the elements, without access to basic food, shelter, or proper sanitation, I have witnessed a harrowing human despair,” Omondi shared in a public appeal. “Mothers wrapped their shivering children tightly in shawls; men who had lost their livelihoods overnight stood in quiet, dignified restraint, waiting for a hot drink.”
On the first day of the initiative, Omondi served 300 warm cups of coffee alongside maandazi.
The following day, the volunteer team returned to distribute over 300 packed hot lunches consisting of rice and ndengu (green grams) to waiting mothers, children, and men.
The crowds, carrying packed bags and personal belongings, line up daily at the diplomatic gates to secure emergency Laisser-Passer travel documents required to safely exit or navigate their transit.
Without adequate infrastructure to handle the influx, the threat of waterborne illnesses and exposure-related ailments increases by the hour.
Recognizing that private citizen efforts alone cannot sustain hundreds of displaced people indefinitely, Omondi issued an urgent appeal to fellow Kenyans, local businesses, non-governmental organizations, and humanitarian groups to join the drive.
Read: Burundians rush to leave Kenya ahead of crackdown on unregistered traders
Emphasizing the traditional Kenyan ethos of Harambee – coming together in times of shared need – Omondi outlined the critical supplies required immediately on the ground – Food and hydration, hygiene & sanitation and shelter items too.
Food stuff can include rice, grains, bread, milk, hot beverages, cooked meals, and clean drinking water, while sanitation items are, sanitary towels, basic toiletries, and clean water storage containers.
Also heavy blankets, sleeping mats, and tarpaulins to shield families from the cold nights outdoors have been cited as important items in the alleviation of the misery.
Members of the public and humanitarian groups are encouraged to drop off physical donations directly at the Burundi Embassy grounds in Kilimani, Nairobi, or join the volunteer teams on-site to assist with food distribution and logistical support.
Financial contributions toward bulk food preparation can also be directed to the organizer via direct mobile transfers or designated donation tills shared across social platforms.
“Government processes and political realities take time, but human suffering does not wait,” Omondi said. “Let us show our neighbors that even in their hardest hours, Kenya remains a land of compassion and grace.”
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