Death of John Kamau Karunda in Ontario Canada

Brampton, Ontario — The Kenyan Canadian Association (KCA) has expressed profound grief following the tragic death of John Kamau Karunda, a 31-year-old Kenyan who lost his life in a road accident in Brampton, Ontario, Canada. John died just over a year after arriving in Canada in June 2024, leaving behind devastated family members in both Canada and Kenya.

According to community leaders, John came to Canada with hope, determination, and a strong commitment to supporting his family and younger siblings back home. His sudden passing has left his loved ones facing an overwhelming financial burden at a time when they should be mourning in peace.

Community Appeal Falls Short

In response to the tragedy, the Kenyan Diaspora in Canada launched a fundraising campaign to raise C$30,000 (approximately KSh 2.78 million) to cover repatriation and funeral expenses. However, a week later, only C$5,000 (about KSh 464,142) had been raised—leaving a shortfall of C$25,000 (approximately KSh 2.32 million).

This gap has forced John’s family into urgent fundraising efforts rather than focusing on grieving and honoring his memory.

Kenyan community leaders say this situation is increasingly common among diaspora families when tragedy strikes abroad.

A Disturbing Pattern: The Case of Felister Kemunto

John’s tragedy mirrors the heartbreaking case of Felister Kemunto, a 32-year-old Kenyan domestic worker who died in Iraq in December 2025. More than a month later, her body remains stranded in Baghdad after her family failed to raise KSh 800,000 needed for repatriation.

Her relatives have repeatedly appealed for help while struggling to obtain clear information about the circumstances surrounding her death—highlighting gaps in consular support and diaspora protection mechanisms.

The High Cost of Repatriation

Repatriation costs from countries such as Canada and the United States often exceed KSh 2.5 million, placing a heavy financial burden on grieving families. Community fundraisers typically take five to eight weeks or longer, prolonging emotional distress and delaying burial.

While diaspora communities consistently step in to help, these efforts are unsustainable and unreliable in the long term.

Call for a National Diaspora Welfare Insurance Fund

In light of these recurring tragedies, leaders are renewing calls for the Government of Kenya to establish a Diaspora Welfare Insurance Fund that would guarantee repatriation support and emergency assistance for all Kenyans abroad.

Advocates argue that such a fund should be:

Affordable and transparent
Open to all Kenyans abroad, regardless of migration status
Administered independently with strong accountability
Accessible through Kenyan embassies and consulates

“With more than 400,000 Kenyans relocating abroad in the last two years and annual remittances surpassing KSh 1.1 trillion by December 2025, it is unacceptable that diaspora welfare remains fragmented,” community leaders said.

Need for Centralized Diaspora Registration

Experts also recommend the creation of a centralized diaspora registration system to:

Improve emergency response
Enhance consular accountability
Streamline access to welfare services
Enable accurate tracking of Kenyans abroad

Such a system would allow the government to respond faster during crises like accidents, deaths, or deportations.

Call for Diaspora Representation in Parliament

There is also renewed advocacy for diaspora representation in Kenya’s Bicameral Parliament (National Assembly and Senate). Proponents say this would ensure that issues such as:

Repatriation
Migrant protection
Consular reforms
Diaspora welfare
Remittance policies

are addressed through structured legislation rather than ad hoc community initiatives.

A Solemn Reminder

The death of John Kamau Karunda serves as a painful reminder of the vulnerabilities facing Kenyans abroad—and the urgent need for systemic reforms.

As the community works to bring John home, leaders insist that Kenya must build a more compassionate, reliable, and sustainable framework to protect its citizens across the globe.