Citizenship dilemma: how second-generation Rwandan migrants navigate life challenges in post-colonial Kenya

This paper explores the lived experiences of second-generation Rwandan labor migrants living in Kisii, Nandi and Kericho counties of Kenya. It examines how colonial policies and histories of famines in the 1940s in Rwanda and post-colonial Kenyan continue to shape descendants of Rwandan migrants today economically, politically and socially. Available literature often considers colonial history to make sense of cyclical violence, civil wars, genocide or post-election violence, but limited analysis examines how colonialism itself actively endures in the present moment and shapes contemporary questions of citizenship, identity and belonging of second-generation migrants. The study uses qualitative research methods through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions amongst the second-generation Rwandan migrants to undertake a thematic analysis. It has identified themes and connections between the lived experiences, remembrance, citizenship and colonial legacies in tea plantation counties. The findings show that the community of migrants is almost a forgotten and exploited generation due to exclusionary citizenship laws that stifle their ability to live full and integrated lives despite contributing to Kenya’s economic life for almost a century.