Pay your way out, government now tells Kenyans who are stranded in China
Kenyans who are languishing in China have been given an option of getting out of the country, but on certain tough conditions.
The Kenyan Embassy in Beijing has asked those willing to be evacuated to pay their way out. But first they have to file their details and they must be coronavirus free.
“You are Covid-19 free with a health certificate and you are ready to undergo 14-28 days quarantine on arrival in Nairobi,” part of the message reads.
The embassy said those who will be willing to be evacuated will use a chartered plane from Guangzhou as point of departure.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the official number of Kenyan citizens abroad is over 2.8 million.
The latest development comes in the wake of reports that Africans in China are lately been kicked out of rental apartments on claims they were spreading a second wave of the virus.
EVICTIONS
Africans among them Kenyans, have said they have been subject to mass Covid-19 testing even though many had not left China recently, and placed under arbitrary quarantine at home or in hotels.
The government on Thursday dismissed claims that it has ruled out evacuation of Kenyans living abroad.
Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Macharia Kamau said that the government is deeply concerned about its citizens, especially those in China, India and Iran but under the current situation, it is impossible for them to come home.
He said most of the countries hosting Kenyans are on lockdown with no form of movement allowed either on land, sea or air.
Last week, images began circulating online of rows of Africans sleeping on the streets of Guangzhou, beside their luggage, having either been evicted from their apartments or been turned away from hotels. Other videos showed police harassing Africans on the street.