This archive report was first published on 9 July 2020.
Kenya has announced new measures to combat the spread of Covid-19, requiring international travellers to produce a certificate showing they are free of the virus before entering the country.
According to Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe, travellers will also be quarantined for 14 days upon arrival.
Speaking in Mombasa on Thursday, CS Kagwe emphasized that the new protocol is in place to ensure the safety of Kenyans, and that the government has not rescinded its earlier protocols.
"The protocol is, you must be tested for Covid-19 before you leave the country where you are in. You must have a negative certificate before you board the plane," CS Kagwe said.
On Wednesday, the government had announced that there would be no mandatory quarantine for travellers arriving in Kenya if they did not show Covid-19 symptoms.
However, CS Kagwe clarified that the government has a protocol in place and has not waived it, despite Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia's earlier announcement that airports would be restricted to workers and travellers only.
Local air travel is set to resume on July 15, under guidelines from the ministries of Health and Transport.
Mr Kagwe said airlines have a form from the Ministry of Health that individuals must fill before boarding planes, which includes information on testing and quarantine arrangements.
Hoteliers have urged the government to ease the protocols, citing the need for international best practices and the potential impact on the tourism industry.
