Britain lifts travel advisory to Nairobi’s Eastleigh

NAIROBI, KENYA: The British Government has eased its travel advisories to its citizens to Nairobi's Eastleigh residential estate.

In a statement to newsrooms, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) says it no longer advises against all, but essential travel to the Eastleigh areas of Nairobi.

The statement further reads that they will update information and advice about the threat from terrorism following a review of the way in which the UK government describes the threat from terrorism in travel advice for all countries and territories;

The British Government also maintained that there is no change in the UK government's assessment of the level of threat from terrorism in Kenya adding that following public consultation in the UK, the British government will amend the language used to describe the terrorist threat in countries and territories, to make it clearer, consistent and more specific

"In addition, we will also make changes to the language and format of UK travel advice around the world, including, but not limited to, travel advice for Kenya," reads part of the statement.

Following public consultation in the UK, the British Government is amending the language used to describe the terrorist threat in countries and territories, to make it clearer, consistent and more specific.

According to their website, these changes are simply to format and language since there is no change in the UK government's assessment of the level of threat from terrorism in Kenya.

But the British Government also advised its travelers against areas of Tana River County north of the Tana River itself, within 15km of the coast from the Tana River down to the Galana (Athi-Galana-Sabaki) river.

The area to which the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) advise doesn't include Kenya's safari destinations in the national parks, reserves and wildlife conservancies; including the Aberdare National Park, Amboseli, Laikipia, Lake Nakuru, Masai Mara, Meru, Mount Kenya, Samburu, Shimba Hills, Tsavo, nor does it include the beach resorts of Mombasa, Malindi, Kilifi, Watamu, Diani, Lamu Island and Manda Island.
Mombasa airport (Moi International Airport), Malindi airport and Manda airport aren't included in the area to which the FCO advise against all but essential travel. "If you travel to Lamu Island or Manda Island, you should do so by air to Manda airport and not by road,"states the statement.
Early this year, Kenya asked Western countries to lift their advisories to their citizens against visiting Kenya, saying such advisories were unjustified, citing the reduction of terrorist attacks in the region.