A dozen Kenyans stuck in India and China are expected to jet back into the country from Thursday evening.
This follows the government’s intervention to arrange for chartered flights to shuttle the Kenyans back into the country even as suspension of international travel hits India and China.
Foreign Affairs Ministry on Monday confirmed that 223 Kenyans stuck in India will be aboard a Kenya Airways flight from Mumbai.
Kenya’s High Commission to India in New Delhi headed by Ambassador Willy Bett said its all systems go.
The mission also said that the flight was overbooked by 80 passengers but proper arrangements are being made to ensure that all those who registered their interest in returning to Kenya get to do so.
In Guangzhou China where another flight will depart on May 7 en route to Nairobi, 130 Kenyans who had been living and working/studying in China are among those who will jet back to the country.
Kenya’s Embassy in China under the stewardship of Sarah Serem had earlier indicated that only 183 Kenyans registered with the embassy in their bid to return.
Of these, only 130 of them fully complied with the set terms which include producing a medical certificate ascertaining COVID-19 free status, paying airfare, and being in possession of a valid Kenyan passport.
However, a highly placed source at the mission in China said that 53 of those who had registered could either, no manage to pay for the flight or failed in meeting the travel requirements.
The Chinese government according to Serem had given a leniency period to Kenyans who did not meet certain regulations for immigrants.
Once in Kenya, they will be designated to proper quarantine facilities and will have a doctor check up on them. They will be quarantined at their own cost.
