The US Government via the Kenyan Embassy advised its citizens to reconsider travelling to Kenya due to a surge in Covid-19 cases.
In statement shared on August 8, the embassy cited health, crime and terrorism as the key reason behind the latest update.
“Reconsider travel to Kenya due to Covid-19. Exercise increased caution in Kenya due to crime, terrorism, health issues, and kidnapping. Some areas have increased risk,” the latest advisory reads in part.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) further issued a Level 3 Travel Health Notice for Kenya due to the pandemic.
According to CDC’s website, Level 3 notice recommends avoiding nonessential travel as the situation is deemed as extremely risky.
The consulate forther highlighted Nairobi neighborhoods of Eastleigh and Kibera as hgh risk areas for kidnapping and crime.
However, the US embassy made it clear that the latest travel advisory was not a call for its citizens to avoid Kenya.
The move was decribed as more of a way to arm its citizens with all the necessary details to help them come up with an informed decision.
Kenya’s border with Somalia was highlighted as a highly volatile area.
The latest warning came on the very day when President Uhuru Kenyatta gave the country a clean bill of health, adding that tourists were assured of their health and safety.
Speaking spoke from State House, Nairobi, during a virtual meeting with Kenyan marathoner Eliud Kipchoge, Tourism Cabinet Secretary (CS) Najib Balala and Narok Governor Samuel Tunai, the president shared his satisfaction with measures taken to protect tourists.
“I take this opportunity to encourage every single Kenyan to take advantage and travel. You can travel, you can move, and as you know, we have also opened up our skies to flights. We welcome all those who choose to come,” he stated.
Kipchoge was appointed as the goodwill ambassador for tourism and was spotted in the Masai Mara National Reserve alongside CS Balala.
