Kenya Issues New Directive on UK Flights

The Kenyan government has lifted the ban on flights from the United Kingdom (UK) effective immediately.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a letter to the British High Commission in Nairobi communicated the new directive, adding that anyone accessing Kenya from the UK will be required to meet a set of conditions before being allowed into the country.

The conditions include; must be in possession of a valid Covid-19 negative PCR certificate and will be required to submit their health information on the jitenge application for 14 days.

“The test certificate must be conducted within 96 hours before travel except for children below five years… All passengers, crew coming to Kenya from the UK shall be required to self-isolate for seven days upon arrival and take a subsequent PCR test four days after arrival,” the Ministry said.

The new directive is a major reprieve for travelers as Kenya and the UK are strategic locations for trade in Africa and Europe respectively.

The travel restrictions between the two nations took effect in early April after UK banned travelers from Kenya citing faulty Covid-19 certifications.

Acting in retaliation, Kenya also banned travelers from the UK, and demanded that cargo flight crew must provide vaccination certificates and a negative test result before being allowed into the country.

The restriction led to loss of millions as Kenya and UK are known to be close trade partners.