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Kenya retaliates against UK's Covid-19 travel ban
Saturday, April 03, 2021
Kenya on Saturday retaliated against UK’s decision to impose travel restrictions on passengers originating from or transiting through Kenya as part of measures to contain the spread of Covid-19.
Kenya is among four counties that have been added to UK’s red list amid concerns about new Covid-19 variants. From April 9, travellers from Kenya will be barred from entering England.
Following the announcements by the UK, Kenya’s Foreign Affairs ministry issued a statement on Saturday, saying it is “disappointed” by London’s “unilateral” move to restrict travellers.
It announced that from April 9, passengers arriving or transiting through the UK to Kenya will undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine, within which they will have to undergo two Covid-19 tests.
“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 ministry said.
Cargo flight operators and Kenyan nationals are exempt from these new restrictions.
"Kenyan nationals resident in the UK or transiting though its airports into Kenya are exempt," the ministry said, adding that cargo flights between the two countries will continue to operations under protocols that will be announced later.
These two groups will, however, be required to show a valid negative test like other passengers from other regions.
“Vaccine apartheid”
The statement issued on Saturday evening accused the UK of engaging in “vaccine apartheid” with officials in Nairobi arguing they were punishing Kenya for matters beyond its control.
The UK government on Friday added the Philippines, Bangladesh and Pakistan to its ‘Red List’ of countries to which travel restrictions apply.
Passengers from these countries will be refused entry into the UK from April 9. British citizens will also be barred from leaving the UK for these countries, until a further review of Covid-19 infection statuses is carried out.
“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,” Nairobi said in its statement.
“Kenya has been consistent in maintaining a positive stance towards the United Kingdom despite the challenges and disruptions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic. Kenya has also remained in constant contact with the Government of the United Kingdom throughout this pandemic in order to maximise opportunities for cooperation.”
Nairobi said it expected closer cooperation with the UK rather than “punitive measures that are discriminatory, divisive and exclusive in their character".
Diplomats’ reactions
UK’s decision was reportedly based on “scientific evidence”, with Kenya particularly indicted for not closing routes where the South African variant of the Covid-19 virus known as B.1.351 has come through.
But Kenyan diplomats in Nairobi have expressed anger at what they think is a case of wrong timing.
“We find it disappointing,” said one diplomat speaking on the background, before the official response was issued later in the evening.
“We've worked with the UK in Covid-19 response, including vaccination, and consider this unwarranted,” the official added, referring to trials on the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine which were conducted in Kenya in conjunction with the Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri).
On Saturday, Kenya said the decision by the UK forms a pattern by rich countries to lock out poor Africans, using vaccine levers as well as Covid-19 status.
“Sadly, however, Kenya continues to see, with deep regret, that vaccine-producing countries around the world have begun practising a form of vaccine nationalism, possessiveness and discrimination, coupled with a vaccine-hoarding attitude that can only be described as a form of 'vaccine apartheid'," the statement added.
[email protected]
Saturday, April 03, 2021
Kenya on Saturday retaliated against UK’s decision to impose travel restrictions on passengers originating from or transiting through Kenya as part of measures to contain the spread of Covid-19.
Kenya is among four counties that have been added to UK’s red list amid concerns about new Covid-19 variants. From April 9, travellers from Kenya will be barred from entering England.
Following the announcements by the UK, Kenya’s Foreign Affairs ministry issued a statement on Saturday, saying it is “disappointed” by London’s “unilateral” move to restrict travellers.
It announced that from April 9, passengers arriving or transiting through the UK to Kenya will undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine, within which they will have to undergo two Covid-19 tests.
“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 ministry said.
Cargo flight operators and Kenyan nationals are exempt from these new restrictions.
"Kenyan nationals resident in the UK or transiting though its airports into Kenya are exempt," the ministry said, adding that cargo flights between the two countries will continue to operations under protocols that will be announced later.
These two groups will, however, be required to show a valid negative test like other passengers from other regions.
“Vaccine apartheid”
The statement issued on Saturday evening accused the UK of engaging in “vaccine apartheid” with officials in Nairobi arguing they were punishing Kenya for matters beyond its control.
The UK government on Friday added the Philippines, Bangladesh and Pakistan to its ‘Red List’ of countries to which travel restrictions apply.
Passengers from these countries will be refused entry into the UK from April 9. British citizens will also be barred from leaving the UK for these countries, until a further review of Covid-19 infection statuses is carried out.
“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,” Nairobi said in its statement.
“Kenya has been consistent in maintaining a positive stance towards the United Kingdom despite the challenges and disruptions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic. Kenya has also remained in constant contact with the Government of the United Kingdom throughout this pandemic in order to maximise opportunities for cooperation.”
Nairobi said it expected closer cooperation with the UK rather than “punitive measures that are discriminatory, divisive and exclusive in their character".
Diplomats’ reactions
UK’s decision was reportedly based on “scientific evidence”, with Kenya particularly indicted for not closing routes where the South African variant of the Covid-19 virus known as B.1.351 has come through.
But Kenyan diplomats in Nairobi have expressed anger at what they think is a case of wrong timing.
“We find it disappointing,” said one diplomat speaking on the background, before the official response was issued later in the evening.
“We've worked with the UK in Covid-19 response, including vaccination, and consider this unwarranted,” the official added, referring to trials on the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine which were conducted in Kenya in conjunction with the Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri).
On Saturday, Kenya said the decision by the UK forms a pattern by rich countries to lock out poor Africans, using vaccine levers as well as Covid-19 status.
“Sadly, however, Kenya continues to see, with deep regret, that vaccine-producing countries around the world have begun practising a form of vaccine nationalism, possessiveness and discrimination, coupled with a vaccine-hoarding attitude that can only be described as a form of 'vaccine apartheid'," the statement added.
[email protected]
