UK Issues Travel Advisory Following Recent Al-Shabaab Attacks on Kenyan Soil

The United Kingdom (UK) has issued a travel advisory to its citizens visiting Kenya following a rise in the Al-Shabaab terror attack in the Country.

The British government has warned its citizens who plan or are in the process of visiting Kenya that al-Shabaab terrorists might try to carry out attacks.

The UK has advised its citizens to be extra vigilant when visiting areas frequented by foreigners in Kenya which includes malls, hotels, bars, restaurants, sports bars and nightclubs, sporting events, supermarkets, shopping centers, and all commercial buildings.

The British government has also warned its citizens to be careful when visiting Kenya’s coastal region in places such as the beaches, airports, government buildings, buses, the Standard Gauge Railway all other transport stations.

The UK has further warned its citizens to be on the lookout if they have to visit Kenya’s places of worship which include churches and mosques, which have been targeted in the recent past.

The UK travel advisory lists the northeastern part of Garissa County, LAMU County, Mandera and some parts of Tana River as places its citizens should avoid at all costs unless there is no other option following recent al-Shabaab attacks.

“(FCO) advises against all but essential travel to areas within 60km of the Kenya-Somali border, Garissa County, Lamu County (excluding Lamu Island and Manda Island), areas of Tana River County north of the Tana River itself and within 15km of the Coast from the Tana River down to the Galana (Athi-Galana-Sabaki) river,” the FCO says in a statement.

The UK travel advisory was posted on Saturday the 11th of January 2020 by British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and did not include safari destinations and beach resorts on the Coast.

The FCO notes that an estimated 190,000 UK citizens visit Kenya every year and do not experience or report any trouble.

The UK foreign office advisory comes at a time when Kenya has lost 19 people to al-Shabaab attacks including two foreigners in 13 days.

Travel advisories hurt Kenya’s tourism industry and this is sadly coming at a time when a number of Four Star and Five Star hotels are closing down while others are retrenching due to poor business.

Kenya’s leadership is yet to make a clear stand following the al-Shabaab attacks or the next cause of action if any and Kenyans have turned to social media to pour out their frustrations.

Kenyans on Twitter are demanding that President Uhuru, his deputy William Ruto and the Interior CS Fred Matiang’i safeguard Kenyans after 19 have died in 13 days of January 2020.

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