At least 700 Kenyans who had been stranded in foreign nations amid the Coronavirus pandemic have been evacuated, Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Macharia Kamau said on Tuesday.
Addressing the nation during the daily Covid-19 briefing, ambassador Kamau said plans are underway to facilitate the return of more Kenyans with urgent need to be home.
The PS noted that most of the Kenyans were left stranded abroad after governments declared territorial lockdown as part of the measures to contain the spread of the disease.
For instance, most Kenyans, who flew in from India last week, had travelled to seek medical attention.
PS Kamau appealed to Kenyans, with no urgent need to travel home, to stay wherever they are saying they are safe there.
Read: 3 More COVID-19 Patients Die In Mombasa As Positive Cases Rise To 715
He noted that some Kenyans in the diaspora are heeding to the government’s advise.
“Many Kenyans around the world are recognising that they stay where they, that they are best advised to remain where they are domiciled, ” he said.
Kamau noted that for instance when Kenyans in China were presented with the opportunity to travel home, only 169 expressed interest and some seats in the aircraft were left empty. This is besides the fact that at least 3,000 Kenyans are stuck in the country since the outbreak of the virus.
Read Also: Revealed: Preparations In High Gear To Resume Passenger Flights At JKIA Amid Covid-19 Pandemic
The ministry of foreign affairs had announced plans to evacuate Kenyans stuck in the United Kingdom, India and China.
However, the Kenyans were required to cater for travel and quarantine costs a move that elicited mixed reactions on social media.
Some Kenyans shelved plans to travel home citing the huge expenses amid economic slowdown.
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