Kenya Halts Flights to UAE over Covid Tests Row

Kenya has suspended all inbound and transit passenger flights from the United Arabs Emirates, for seven days.

The suspension is effective from Monday this week.

Kenya Civil Aviation Authority, KCAA, says “this was done to reciprocate a ban on Kenyan passenger flights to UAE.”

The ban will ‘not affect cargo flights, which will continue with normal operations.’

In December last year, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority suspended all air transport services with inbound and transit passenger movements from Kenya.

The Dubai aviation regulator expressed concern that travellers from Nairobi were testing positive for Covid-19 on arrival, despite carrying negative test results.

Speaking to local dailies, KCAA director general, Gilbert Kibe said “there was a scheme involving private medical testing centres colluding with travellers to issue fake Covid PCR results to aid their travel to Dubai.”

Kenya’s health ministry has launched a probe on the matter.

BBC/Shakirat Sadiq