Kenya lifts ban on UK flights effective immediately

NAIROBI, Kenya June 12 – Kenya has lifted the ban on flights from the United Kingdom effective immediately while also altering some other conditions.

Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday notified the British High Commission, Nairobi on changes that will now pave way for Kenyans who were stranded in the UK to travel back home.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs presents its compliments to the British High Commission and has the honour to convey the decision of the government of Kenya to lift all flights restrictions between Kenya and the United Kingdom effective immediately,” read in part the letter from Kenyan officials.

In the new varied guidelines, all passengers and crew arriving in Kenya from the UK must be in possession of a valid Covid-19 negative PCR test and certificate which ought to have been conducted 96 hours before travel except children under the age of five years.

Further, those arriving in the country from the UK will be required to self-isolate for seven days upon arrival and take a subsequent PCR test four days after arrival this as they will be required to submit daily reports on their status including the result of their second test.

Kenyan officials stressed that “the revised protocols will take effect as shall be advised by the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority”.

Kenya banned flights from the UK, effective April 9 in retaliation to a move by the UK to add the country on its travel red list.

At the time, Kenya said it was surprised at the decision by the UK to add it on the red list, despite efforts in place to manage COVID-19.