Hi this is Linda… blogging again and letting out some frustration on the latest decision of the Kenyan Government to start quarantining citizen of certain countries.
I think no one will disagree that the Corona virus has had and is still having a huge impact on our economy and especially on the tourist industry. Kenya’s economy shrank 1.1% in the third quarter of 2020 compared with growth of 5.8% in the same period in 2019. Accommodation and food service, which includes tourism, came down with 57.9%, a sharp decline from 9.9% growth in third quarter of 2019* and this mainly to the government restrictions along with restrictions of course for foreign travelers in their own countries.
Now you would think that it would be getting better but it is getting worse as now, the government has decided to mandatory quarantine visitors from the following countries: Brunei, Czech Republic, Kuwait, Switzerland, Thailand and Spain. I am, together perhaps with you wondering why those countries and why some others not or why at all select those 6 countries, or do this at all to any country, and why now!!?? While still all travelers into Kenya are obliged to show a negative corona PCR test result. Well, the more I think about it, the less I get it… or maybe you do and please share your opinion. What I do understand though is while all that mandatory restrictions for foreigners is in place, the majority of our own citizen are putting restrictions of wearing a mask and social distancing next to them… so I wonder, where is the biggest danger coming from …
*figures from the Kenya’s statistics office
