The Kenya High Commission in Kigali with the support of the Kenyan
Diaspora living in Gisenyi, Rwanda successfully reunited Christine
Akinyi and children with her family back in Budalangi, Kenya.
Christine Akinyi arrived in Rwanda over two decades ago accompanied
by her three young children. Unfortunately she became mentally ill
making it difficult to trace her family back in Kenya. In August 2021,
the Kenya High Commission staff visited Ms. Akinyi’s family in
Gisenyi, border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) where
the process for family reunification commenced. With the support of the
Kenyan Diaspora in Gisenyi, Akinyi’s family back in Kenya was traced.
Akinyi’s Baptismal Card and her three children’s Ministry of Health
(MOH) Child Health Cards provided the necessary clues in tracing her
separated family. With the belief that she was dead, Akinyi’s Kenyan
family was surprised as well as elated to learn that she was still alive.
Subsequently, mother, son, three daughters and grandson were
accompanied back home by five Kenyans who live and work in Gisenyi.
The separated families were happily reunited on 1 st November, 2021
after two days of road travel from Gisenyi through Cyanika and Busia
borders.