This archive report was first published on 12 July 2021.
Kenya Passport Holders Banned in 54 Countries Amid Covid-19 Restrictions ¶
As the world continues to grapple with the Covid-19 pandemic, Kenya passport holders have found themselves banned in 54 countries. The restrictions, which have been put in place to protect nations against new variants of the coronavirus, have significantly impacted travel for Kenyans.
According to the Henley Passport Index, which has been monitoring the world's most travel-friendly passports since 2006, the number of countries that Kenyans can visit without a visa has dropped from 79 in December to 59 in the wake of Covid-19 restrictions.
Some of the countries that have banned or placed restrictions on holders of Kenyan passports include Australia, Argentina, Belgium, Cambodia, the UK, Canada, Portugal, Denmark, Bulgaria, and Singapore. Others include Hong Kong, Bangladesh, Chile, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, and Cameroon, which is the only African country to place restrictions on Kenya.
The highly contagious Covid-19 Delta variant may spark a fourth wave of infections in Kenya over the next two months, according to the Health Ministry. The government has imposed restrictions on movement in the region to try and stem the spread of the virus.
“Borders remain firmly closed in several countries, including Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, while many others continue to ban travelers from high-risk regions,” says the Henley & Partners report.
Kenya has not retaliated against the 54 countries that have banned its passport holders. However, the country has left a handful of countries whose citizens need to quarantine before they are allowed into the country. These include Ireland, Kuwait, Pakistan, Brunei, and Thailand.
Most countries are preparing to sign off on plans for unrestricted travel for people who have had both jabs. In Kenya, about 1.53 million people have been inoculated so far, with 511,520 receiving their second doses. The government expects to receive 13 million Johnson & Johnson vaccine doses from August and targets to inoculate more than 10 million people by the end of December and the entire 26 million adult population by the end of 2022.
As of June 29, Kenya had 188,513 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 3,721 deaths, with a positivity rate of 8.9 percent. The Henley Passport Index report indicates that the number of countries that Kenyans can visit without a visa has also dropped due to Covid-19 restrictions.
