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Why I'm considering abolishing visa requirement to Kenya – Ruto

In June, Kenya and Djibouti pushed for a visa-free regime to spur trade

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by MAUREEN KINYANJUI

News04 September 2023 - 08:10
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In Summary


  • Also, Kenyans holding ordinary passports were granted visa-free entry to South Africa, according to a new visa-free regime between the two countries.
  • The President in November 2022 said the deal had been arrived at, after an intervention by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
President William Ruto giving his opening address at KICC, Nairobi during the African Climate summit on September 4, 2023

President William Ruto on Monday has announced that he is considering abolishing any visa requirement while travelling to Kenya.

He said it was unfair to ask one of the requirements when they were coming home.

"We are having a conversation as Kenyans because it is unfair to ask anybody coming home for visas," he said.

In August, Indonesia was the third country within that month that the government announced it would enjoy visiting the country visa-free. 

Comoros and Senegal nationals were in July given the freedom to come into the country visa-free.

In May during the African Private Sector Dialogue Conference on Free Trade, President Ruto told the African delegates that, that might be the last time they will pay for visas to visit the country. 

"This is home. We support wholeheartedly the AfCFTA and we must remove any impediments to the movement of people around our continent," he said. 

Ruto had apologised to the African Private Sector Dialogue on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) delegates for paying visas to visit Kenya. 

In February this year, Eritrea and Kenya agreed to permanently scrap visa requirements for their citizens.

In June, Kenya and Djibouti pushed for a visa-free regime to spur trade between the two countries.

Also, Kenyans holding ordinary passports were granted visa-free entry to South Africa, according to a new visa-free regime between the two countries.

The President in November 2022 said the deal had been arrived at, after an intervention by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

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