Kenyans in Australia
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Kenya was known as ‘British East Africa’ in the late 19th century due to its colonial connections to the British Empire. The early Kenya-born migrants to Australia were of European background and arrived from the British colony of Kenya in the post-WWII period. This migration was sparked further by the Mau Mau Uprising (1953-1960), which led many Kenya-born settlers of European and Asian backgrounds to migrate abroad. Today, the global Kenyan is quite extensive.
According to the 2021 Australian Census, the majority (72.3%) of Kenya-born population has arrived since 2000.1 Most migrants are native Kenyans or other Africans born in Kenya. However, roughly a quarter (27.3%) of Kenya-born people nominated English ancestry, and 18.7% reported Indian ancestry in the 2021 Census.1 There is also a variety of languages spoken at home, including English (35.5%), Swahili (32.9%), Gujarati (10.1%), Somali (4.4%) and Dinka (4.3%).1
The Kenyan population in Australia is highly qualified. According to the 2021 Australian Census, approximately 48.6% of Kenya-born people hold a university degree or higher, compared to 22.7% of Australia-born people.1 Of those employed, 42.6% of Kenyan migrants cited their occupations as professionals or managers, and 26.7% worked as community and personal service workers.1
Most Kenyans abroad, including those in Australia, maintain a strong connection to their Kenyan identity and home country. It is common for the community to come together to celebrate Jamhuri Day (Kenyan Independence) in December. Various programs and organisations support the Kenyan community in Australia, such as the SBS African language program.