Covid-19: Kenyans stranded in the UK can now fly back home

Kenyans who are stranded in the United Kingdom due to the Covid-19 pandemic have been offered another chance to return home.

Kenya’s Ambassador to the UK Manoah Esipisu in a communique on Monday said the cancelled flight has been rescheduled and will depart London’s Heathrow Airport on Monday, May 4.

“Kenya Airways has loaded on its booking system the flight, which is available for sale on a first come first served basis with tickets selling at Sh98,000 for Business class and at Sh54,000 for Economy class per seat,” said Esipisu.

Kenyans stranded in the UK had their hopes of returning home dashed last week after Kenya Airways cancelled a scheduled flight citing that testing for Coronavirus in the UK was only done for patients who showed symptoms and had to be taken to hospital.

The Kenyan Government had given a condition that Kenyans who wanted to come back home have to be declared free from the virus by providing a certificate to show the same. The KQ flight that was set to ferry back Kenyans from the UK on Saturday, April 25 was cancelled at the last minute.

However, the government directive that all passengers must be tested for coronavirus and be declared negative still stands.

“Passengers may undertake Covid-19 tests from any accredited laboratory and certification issued at least seven days before travel. Kenya High Commission in London, Kenya Airways, or your local General Practitioner (GP) may advise on options for test labs,” Esipisu said.

The flight is only open to Kenya citizens flying back home, and upon arrival in Nairobi all passengers will to undergo a mandatory quarantine of 14 to 28 days at their own cost as per the government of Kenya guidelines.

As of Monday, April 27, the UK, which is one of the countries heavily battered by the virus, had recorded at least 152,840 cases out of which 20,732 were deaths. Kenya, on the other hand, had registered 363 cases which included 14 deaths and 114 recoveries. Globally, over 3,025,000 people had been infected and out of the number, some 209,001 died while 893,196 others have recovered.