This archive report was first published on 5 May 2020.
As the world grapples with the Covid-19 pandemic, Kenyans stranded abroad have started returning home. The first batch of 84 citizens arrived at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport from London on Monday night.
According to sources, the passengers had selected their quarantine centres before starting their journey and presented their coronavirus clearance certificates at the airport.
Mr. Ambrose Njeru, one of the passengers, revealed that the travellers had sent their coronavirus results to a Kenya Airways doctor, who approved their request for travel. When they arrived, officials already had a list of the returnees.
Every passenger paid Sh53,544 for the journey, and they were required to occupy three seats each due to social distancing measures. The process at JKIA was smooth, and they were on their way to quarantine by 11:30 pm.
More Kenyans are expected to land from China tomorrow or Friday, while a flight from Mumbai, India, is overbooked as Kenyans jostle to return home.
Kenya's High Commissioner in New Delhi, Willy Bett, said the plane would leave India at 5:15 pm local time. The mission had reached an agreement with Kenya Airways to fly home some 223 people caught up in India's 21-day total lockdown, which has been extended to May 17.
Mr. Bett emphasized that the programme is not an evacuation or repatriation but a facilitation to help stranded Kenyans get home. The flight would be charged at a subsidised rate of $800 (Sh85,894) for a business-class ticket and $400 for economy.
