Kenyans warned against travelling to countries in conflict

By Peter Ochieng

Prime Cabinet Secretary (PCS) Musalia Mudavadi has warned Kenyans against travelling to countries in turmoil.

Speaking during a roundtable meeting with media stakeholders in Nairobi on Thursday, Mudavadi who doubles up as CS for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs said Kenyans should stop travelling to countries experiencing conflict, particularly in the Middle East.

“They should not gamble, it’s not a game out there,” he said. “If there’s a conflict and we know it, educate Kenyans to be cautious and not make trips to these areas until the situation has completely calmed down because they could land into difficulty,” he urged the media.

Over 7, 100 Kenyans, Mudavadi added, have registered to be evacuated from Lebanon as the conflict between the country and Israel forces continues to escalate.

The former Vice President informed the country that the 4th and 5th batches of the evacuees will arrive in the country over the weekend, adding that flights into and out of Beirut, Lebanon capital, are limited.

“And when we talk of a fourth and fifth batch it depends on how many seats we can get at any one time for them to come. It might be in lots of 10 or 20, perhaps up to 30 if we are lucky; remember we are competing also with other nations that are also undertaking a similar exercise.”

The Fourth Estate, the PCS stated, holds a pivotal role in shaping public discourse and influencing the direction of foreign policy, acting as a vital bridge between governments, policymakers and citizens.

“In recognition of this, the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs has formally engaged the media as a key partner in the ongoing review of Kenya’s 2014 Foreign Policy document,” he insisted.

He said collaboration with the media will culminate in the presentation of the policy reform to Parliament in the form of a Sessional Paper for comprehensive deliberation.