Radio Jambo breakfast show host Gidi Gidi was forced out of his planned flight to France to attend his daughter Princess Maria-Rose’s birthday.
Gidi in a statement Friday said that his Visa was cancelled due to travel restrictions in France occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic.
A dejected Gidi said he was bumped out of the Wednesday night flight to Paris.
“Today our daughter Princess Marie-Rose turns 5. As I write this, she is expecting me in France to celebrate with her. She has an elaborate birthday party planned for tomorrow where she has invited 14 of her classmates with their parents and friends.
“What Marie-Rose doesn’t know is that I won’t be coming. I was bumped out of the Wednesday night flight to Paris due to a last-minute visa hitch occasioned by the new covid-19 travel restrictions,” he said.
He explained that he had complied with all travel requirements but he was asked to clear with the French Embassy in Kenya just as he approached the boarding gate.
“I had met all the travel requirements with valid visa, covid-19 negative test certificate etc. The airline had even checked in my luggage and issued a boarding pass, only to be told at the boarding gate that I need clearance from the French Embassy coz my 3-year visa was issued way back before covid-19 pandemic.
“I had no option but to turn back to the arrivals section, feeling disappointed and wasted. I picked my luggage which was already removed from the plane and went back home.”
The French Embassy on Friday contacted him and notified him that no visitors with “Visit Visa” are being allowed to France.
There are 5.92 million Covid-19 cases reported in France since 2020 with 108,000 people succumbing to the virus.
A total of 361,000 have recovered.
