President Uhuru Directs Africans Be Issued with Visas at Points of Entry
President Uhuru Kenyatta has announced that all Africans visiting Kenya will be issued with visas at points of entry.
Delivering his maiden speech after being sworn in for his second and final term at the Kasarani Stadium on Tuesday, the President said Kenya will open up its borders to promote free movement and enable free trade.
“The freer we are to travel and live with one another, the more integrated and appreciative of our diversity, we will become. The political balkanization that risks our mutual security, the negative politics of identity, will recede as our brotherhood expands to embrace more Africans,” he said.
He added: “Today, I am directing that any African wishing to visit Kenya will be eligible to receive a visa at the port of entry. To underscore Kenya’s commitment, this shall not be done on the basis of reciprocity.”
The head of state also ordered that citizens from East African Community nationals be allowed work in Kenya freely without work permits.
“As a mark of our continued commitment to you, our Brothers and Sisters in the East African Community; from today, you will be treated like Kenyans. Like your Kenyan brothers and sisters, you will need only your identity card. You can now work, do business; own property, farm and if you wish, and find a willing partner, you can marry and settle in Kenya,” he stated.
“As l welcome you, l remind you that equally you shall be subject to the same rules and laws as your Kenyan brothers and sisters,” he said.
“You are our closest friends; our fate and yours are joined at the hip; our troubles and triumphs are yours, and yours are ours. I will work with you, my brothers, the leaders of the East African Community, to bring a renewed energy and optimism to our union,” he stressed.
Comments (24)
Good intention but bad idea. A country cannot open it's borders to every country in Africa no matter how good intentions it has. The reason why visas are given at country's point of origin is so as to give enough time for background check. There are a lot criminals in Africa. You can't give them free pass to go Kenya. No Country does that!!!. What about terrorist freeing from Egypt's Sinai, they are Africans. Will Kenyans have enough time to know who they are at the airport? Oh my Gosh, what about Nigerians? One out of three Nigerians is a career criminal. This means this criminals have free hand to come to Kenya to start Scam internet cafes. Africans need to care of their problems in their own countries. This African unity thing never works or will never work. It's an old shit. Kenya has over two million refuges. Settle them first before inviting more Africans in the country. The decision to let Africans to have free access to come to Kenya should have been made through a referendum not Uhuru getting emotional and making irrational decisions. When those criminal Nigerians come to Kenya they will be terrorizing ordinary Kenyans not people like Uhuru's or Ruto's family. Down with Nigerian criminals, down with free access for African's. Kenya is not a savior for Africa. Look at South Sudan, they make Bashir look like an Angel. Are this the type of people we want coming to Kenya?. Down with Africanism!!!
This could be a COUNDUIT for Drug Trafficking. And it should should be a NO-BRAINER to Uhuru (a Recovering Addict).
Before implementing this directive they should call back KDF soldiers from Somalia. Why should they be dying in the name of protecting Kenyan border whilst we have opened our borders to all Africans. It shouldn't be like that. An Al Shabab soldier who is tied of fighting in Somalia can now obtain an entry visa with all his loads of AK-47's and start a black market shop in Eishleigh. This directive amount to an invitation of Al Shabab, Boko Harum and other terrorists groups in Africa to make Kenya their heaquaters.
Leave the charcoal traders alone. The business is booming
It would help for us not to get all emotional regarding this issue. Lets wait for the fine details before making judgement cos you never know, those allowed to come to Kenya maybe the very wealthy who can create jobs and not the jobless. On the same breath Visa on Arrival is never a guarantee and its harder to get. We already have lots of foreigners in the country and it would help to have a more restrictive vetting program discussed by parliament. Lets give parliament work to do so we don't become like Britain.
Kwamboka. I love your Argument; the best (lest they say "Nobody Warned Us").
You are my president but l have never seen a foolish decision come from you. This is the first one. By the way, will these African countries allow us to get into their countries? Ati
Katana. Good question; Provocative and Food for Thought. Wow!!!
This is extremely bad decision. Kenya does not have technology or resources to do a quick background check at the airport. Uhuru has opened a safe haven for all sort of weird people to come to Kenya. This include terrorists from places like Libya, Morocco, Nigeria, Niger, etc. Internet scam artists from Nigeria have now a free pass to open franchises in Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru and other towns since Uhuru said they can also open business. Think about it, What genuine business can scam ridden Nigerians open in Kenya. If most people in Africa cannot afford three meals a day ask yourself what investments can they bring to Kenya?. Mr. President, don't be making irrational directives out of emotions. Kenya has enough problems of its own. It doesn't need to be overburdened by problems from other African countries. Think about it again, is Kenya going to give all Somalians wanting to come to Kenya visas?. It should, they are Africans. What about Boko Harum? Are they going to have a free entry visa at demand. They should, they are Africans. Kenya is located in a bad neighborhood and bad neighborhood requires increased security not relaxed security.
Perhaps the most prudent thing is to wait for more explanation on what the Kenyan VOA really entails. I will wait to see or read it before I jump to conclusions
VOA is very common in the world duh! Travel a little and you shall see this is nothing new, of course there are many other requirements and restrictions but GUEST1 couldn't wait to fault a concept he/she seems to know nothing about
That is a bad thought plan. All those terrorists will flock in Kenya. All those people in Libra who are sold like salves will come to Kenya. Nigerians will land in Kenya in large numbers to do their crimes. Any country in Africa that has crisis their people watahamia Kenya. There are too many jobless Kenyans looking for work na nilisikia akisema all those foreigners can work in Kenya. Really?
I doubt this program is that simple and fyi that Nigeria has a VOA program . Also a VOA can simply apply to a short visitor's visas and of course it is subject to denial . Why is everyone talking like a VOA is guarantee entry to a country , it isn't !
Do you even Know what a VOA is? Do you know it may only apply to air not land or sea? Please stop overreacting , instead ask the Kenya immigration what VOA to Kenya means exactly , what are the requirements, restrictions etc.
Excuse me @formerlyguest 2. You think you are the only one who went to school or travel? How dare ask me 'Do you even Know what a VOA is?' Shame on you! Usiniletea upuzi
They didn’t teach immigration 101 in school 😀😀😀. I simply googled to understand this concept because I don’t believe our govt would make a reckless policy to hurt its own people and economy and as such avoid making emotional comments- hiyoo tuu and I’m not ashamed calling upuzi.
Just forgot to state that this ignorant decision marks the end of our long awaited 🇰🇪 🇺🇸 direct flight license.
And just FYI, if this proves to be true, l will start a gofundme to facilitate xenophobic attacks. Mark my words. Kenya ni nchi, sio uwanja.
Fyi - One can apply a visa from their home country and still come to Kenya and drug traffic and do all manners of vile . See VOA for a US citizen and requirements/ duration before we all get worked up and I have obtained one in some place I went and the vetting is real and for very short stays. http://www.globalallianz.org/visa-free-countries-for-us-citizens/
Meaning of VOA - https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between-visa-on-arrival-an…
Ordinary Kenyans cannot even arrive in Kenya without being harassed ati ume beba nini. How exactly or where will you get the personnel to deal with rude Nigérians and rowdy congolese now that every Tom Dick and Harry who buys a ticket to Kenya will get in by manner of them being African. We can hardly vet our own people how will we vet drug dealers, child molesters Somali and all other Alshababi who come here with fake african passports.Yaani kenya is the new toilet.This kamwana should have had someone audit his speech.Can some of this stupid stuff be reversed in Parliament .Surely this kamwana is ruining Kenya
I think free movement already exists for the E.African community. Ugandans na kathalika are the norms of the Nairobi town. I have never been in favor of this, simply because we are not resourced to meet the demands. We shall become like England and their dilemma of schengen where the natives became so fed up they voted to leave the European union (Brexit). This has led to a lot of uncertainty and resentment among some natives and foreigners alike. Why did Uhuru feel the need to announce this today? ...takes the shine off his day.
Hello mr president.its unfortunate that that decision can be implemented in modern kenya.its the worst decision to make .dont open the country borders to criminals in the name of brotherhood.thats why we have immigration and I don’t believe the controls at the airport will contain criminals that would intend to come kenya.whats the need of embassies in those countries flyin* Kenyan flags.they should be closed then cause the don serve the purpose.i know that the security situation is already stretched and so adding more trouble will be chaotic country.
I see all my brothers using the borders,tribal and ethnocentric arguments that we have absorbed from colonial legacy of division. Enjoy the borders that were never there in the first place.