ANOTHER COUNTRY PUTS KENYA IN BANNED LIST

Kenya has been added to the list of countries designated for mandatory hotel quarantine in Ireland in a bid to combat the Covid-19 spread.

Through a statement on Twitter, the Ireland Embassy in Kenya stated that all passengers arriving in Ireland from Kenya must have prebooked a mandatory hotel quarantine before travel.

“From 4 am on 15 April, passengers arriving in Ireland from Kenya must have prebooked mandatory hotel quarantine before travel,” read the tweet by the Ireland Embassy in Kenya.

The mandatory hotel quarantine requirements also state that one must complete a minimum period of 10 days in the hotel when arriving from Kenya.

Also, when one’s Covid-19 test comes out negative/not detected, he/she may complete the quarantine period from home, the website says.

Other states added to the list of countries subjected to Mandatory hotel quarantine on arrival in Ireland are United States, Canada, Belgium, France and Italy.

This comes as Kenya and UK are caught up in travel restrictions row due to a surge of Covid-19. For instance, last week, the UK announced plans to add Kenya to England’s red list from April 9 to protect the country against new variants of Covid-19

Kenya, which was listed alongside Philippines, Pakistan and Bangladesh, retaliated by banning all passenger flights from the UK effective April 9.

“This unilateral decision does not reflect a prevailing logic and scientific knowledge of the disease or the spread of the pandemic. Rather, the decision seems to be motivated by a discriminatory policy against certain countries and peoples,” Kenya said in a statement on Saturday.

The two states have however agreed to work together to address Covid-19 travel restrictions that threaten their diplomatic relations.

In a meeting on Wednesday morning, Kenya’s foreign affairs minister Rachael Omamo and her UK counterpart Dominic Raab resolved to form a Joint Emergency Committee to address the issue.

The two underlined the need to work on strengthening trade and deepening regional security.

Kenya further announced that passengers transiting through or from UK to Kenya will undergo 14-day quarantine at their own expense.

“While in isolation, they will be subject to take two PCR Covid-19 tests, on day two and eight of their quarantine, at their own cost,” the Foreign Affairs Ministry said.

By Kahawatungu

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