Dr. Stephen Omollo, World Vision’s Vice President and Regional Director for East Africa.
The World Vision is relocating its headquarters from Kenya
The decision has been reached after failure by the Kenyan government to grant staff of the International NGO diplomatic immunity.
World Vision even seduced Kenya with a regional state-of-the-art headquarters but this still backfired.
Irate at the 'mistreatment', the World Vision GB started sidelining Kenya in big funding and grants to cripple the work of World Vision Kenya.
Over 250 Kenyan employees were fired in the egoistic exchanges.
In 2018, Uhuru Kenyatta presided over the opening of the new regional headquarters for World Vision. The headquarters in Karen, Nairobi, was to serve as the nerve centre for the World Vision’s operations in the wider Eastern Africa region including Ethiopia and Eritrea. “That you have chosen Kenya for your new regional headquarters is proof of the strength of our partnership, and of your commitment to the children of the region. For our part, we thank you for your years of labour, and we welcome this new commitment. We welcome visitors who are coming in to improve life for Kenyans,” said the President as he assured that work permits for World Vision staff will not be subject to undue delays even as he maintained that the government will continue applying strict measures in the issuance and renewal of work permits,” said President Kenyatta. In December 2020, I was sent the following message:
“Hey Nyakundi, please investigate the issue of World Vision Kenya office firing over 100 staff in the name of restructuring and went ahead recruiting others either on the position or change the position and recruit, it was based on tribalism”.
After exiting Kenya, World Vision will set up its regional office in Rwanda. World Vision quick stats World Vision's East African region’s member countries are Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, and Ethiopia.
It works with a total staff strength of about 6,000 and an overall budget portfolio of close to $600 million (Sh66 billion).
The INGO signed its agreement with the Rwanda Govt in February 2021.
The virtual signing ceremony was held between Vincent Biruta, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation who signed the pact on behalf of Rwanda, and Dr. Stephen Omollo, World Vision’s Vice President and Regional Director for East Africa. “This milestone agreement will augment the work we are already doing in Rwanda, provide additional resources, create more opportunities and enhance social-economic development and growth in Rwanda,”- Stephen Omollo The Christian non-governmental organisation has operated in Kenya since 1974.