UK Issues Travel Advisory To Its Citizens Residing Or Travelling To Kenya
The UK government has issued a travel alert, warning people not to visit certain districts of Kenya, especially over the festive season.
In an update issued on December 2, the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) identified regions where travel is highly discouraged or restricted to vital objectives, citing potential concerns such as kidnapping and terrorism.
Residents of the United Kingdom were especially urged not to travel to areas near the Kenya-Somalia border and parts of the north-eastern coast, where the presence of extremist groups increases the potential of a terrorist attack.
Among the regions marked by FCDO were Mandera County, Tarbaj and Wajir East constituencies in Wajir County, excluding Wajir Town; portions of Wajir County within 60km of the Somali border; the majority of Garissa County, excluding Garissa Town.
Other locations include Lagdera constituency, the northern and western parts of Balambala constituency along the main Saka-C81 road, and Lamu County, with the exception of Lamu Island and Manda Island.
Furthermore, UK residents were warned to limit their travel to specific areas, advising them to visit these regions only for vital needs.
These comprise Garissa Town, northern Tana River County up to Saka, and lands within 15 kilometers of the east coast between the Tana and Galana (Athi-Galana-Sabaki) rivers.
Travellers wishing to visit the tourist-rich Lamu Island and Manda Island along the coast have been urged to fly rather than drive due to security concerns.
Citizens were also asked to register with the FCDO so that their government could more easily track their movements.
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This is the third alarm issued by the UK in less than three months, following a similar notice given shortly after the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Part of the reason the UK has continuously identified Northern Kenya is the ongoing threat, which Kenyan security forces are currently attempting to contain.
As recently as November 30, several terrorists were gunned down by a multi-agency security team while attempting to enter the country through the Kenya-Somalia border.
UK Issues Travel Advisory To Its Citizens Residing Or Travelling To Kenya
