Latest News: Post Election Situation Update - ARCHIVE

KENYA TOURISM FEDERATION UPDATE

Friday 18th April 10 a.m. Nairobi

POLITICAL UPDATE:

Yesterday was an historic day for Kenyans as the Grand Coalition Cabinet was sworn in at State House, Nairobi, in the final step to establish the power-sharing government which brought an end to the post-election crisis.

While the political crisis and civil unrest have definitely ended, with peace and calm restored across the country, the leadership recognised that the new government has to focus on some important tasks to re-establish Kenya in its former position as one of the continent’s most stable and economically successful nations.

President Kibaki called for the speedy resettlement of the internally displaced Kenyans who are living as refugees and indicated that this will be a priority for the government.

The new Prime Minister, Raila Odinga, pledged to lead a campaign to ensure that violence is ended and particularly mentioned the activities of the Mungiki sect which has been involved in demonstrations and clashes with police in the past week, urging that violent acts should stop immediately so that ordinary Kenyans could go about their daily lives in peace.

Former UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, who had played such an important role in bringing both sides of the political divide together to resolve the crisis, was present to witness the swearing-in ceremony and expressed his pleasure that a peaceful settlement had been achieved, urging Kenyan political leaders to continue working together to achieve the implementation of all aspects of the National Accord and Reconciliation Act which is the basis of the power-sharing arrangement and Grand Coalition. Uganda's President Museveni of Uganda and other East African leaders were also in attendance together with international diplomats.

US Ambassador Michael Ranneberger congratulated the new government and commented, “This was very positive for Kenyans and the agenda that has been laid out is very challenging. The signs are good and the United States will be present to give its assistance.”

SECURITY UPDATE:

Following the swearing in ceremony and statements made by Prime Minister Odinga, the outlawed Mungiki sect has now announced that it has called off its campaign of protests that led to violent disturbances in parts of Nairobi and several towns earlier this week. The Mungiki spokesman asked matatu owners to resume operations and business people to reopen their shops as usual and confirmed that any threat of violent disturbances has been lifted.

With the swearing in of the new Grand Coalition Cabinet as the final step in the resolution of the political crisis that had plagued Kenya for weeks, and the ending of Mungiki violence, it is now hoped that the whole country can get back to normal and stakeholders in the tourism industry will be concentrating on working for a recovery of tourism in the months ahead, following the adverse impact suffered by the sector as a result of the post-election crisis.

Jake Grieves-Cook
Spokesman
Kenya Tourism Federation

KENYA TOURISM FEDERATION UPDATE

Monday 14th April 9 p.m. Nairobi

POLITICAL UPDATE:

Yesterday President Kibaki announced the composition of the new power-sharing cabinet, finally ending the political uncertainty and tensions of recent weeks. The ministers in the new coalition government have all been named and the cabinet positions have been shared equally between the two sides, while Mr Odinga is confirmed in the position of Prime Minister. Supporters of both sides of the political divide have expressed relief that the power-sharing arrangement is now finally in place and there is a new sense of unity and calm throughout the country. It is now considered most unlikely that we will see any more ethnic clashes or political demonstrations linked to post-election disputes since we have a political settlement that is acceptable to all sides. The business community and Kenyans as a whole are eager to work together to ensure that the country gets back to normal and that the economy recovers from the effects of the post-election crisis. The new Minister of Tourism is Hon Najib Balala who hails from the coast and has close connections with the tourism industry. He immediately confirmed that he will be recommending to the government as a priority that funds should be committed to undertaking a marketing campaign in the overseas markets to promote tourism to Kenya.

SECURITY UPDATE:

Today members of the illegal Mungiki organisation blocked roads in several high density housing estates around Nairobi and disrupted traffic on some routes into the city as well as in some other towns such as Naivasha, Thika and Nyeri. The Mungiki placed rocks and burning tyres on some roads early this morning to disrupt traffic and to intimidate the local residents. The police intervened and cleared these barricades with the support of members of the public so that traffic could proceed.

It must be stressed that the actions carried out today by adherents of Mungiki are not connected in any way to political disagreements relating to the post-election crisis. Mungiki started originally as a quasi-religious sect promoting traditional beliefs but are reported to have evolved into a criminal organisation which has preyed on disadvantaged people living in the slums around Nairobi, and in high density housing estates in a few other urban areas. They are reported to have been involved in extortion and demands for payments of “protection money” on various matatu transport routes. The Mungiki are reported to be protesting against the killing of the wife and driver of their jailed leader Maina Njenga who was convicted previously and sent to prison. The protests are also said to be an attempt to pressurize the government to release their leader from prison. It was reported that ninety Mungiki suspects have been arrested today and a number engaging in acts of violence were shot dead by police. The police spokesman stated that the police are determined to crack down firmly to stop the violent destruction of property and illegal disruption of business and transport by the Mungiki and to prevent further disturbances.

The Kenya Tourism Federation monitored the situation from early this morning so that tour operators could be advised to avoid the problem areas. Most roads were cleared quickly so that vehicles were able to drive in and out of Nairobi and there was no disruption of traffic from the city centre hotels to the airport so tourists arriving or leaving were not affected. It is hoped that the police will be able to bring the situation under control soon and a further update will be issued tomorrow. The protestors are not interested in targeting tourists in any way and their actions have been more of a nuisance in disrupting traffic and obliging tour operators to take alternative routes rather than posing any threat to the safety of our visitors.

OTHER NEWS:

Kenyans were in a celebratory mood following the announcement of the new Grand Coalition Government and the news that Kenyan athlete Martin Lel had won the London Marathon in a record-breaking time – another first for Kenya!

Jake Grieves-Cook
Spokesman
Kenya Tourism Federation

KENYA TOURISM FEDERATION DAILY UPDATE

Thursday 28th February 2008, 11 p.m. Nairobi

POLITICAL UPDATE:

Today was a momentous occasion in Kenya’s history as the news flashed around the world that an agreement had been signed between the two Kenyan political leaders, President Kibaki and Hon Odinga, to end the political impasse following the disputed elections two months ago and to restore peace and harmony to the country.

The agreement was the result of a five-hour meeting today attended by President Kikwete of Tanzania who is the current Chairman of the African Union, and Mr Kofi Annan who has performed the role of mediator, with the participation of both President Kibaki and Hon Raila Odinga.

At a press conference called this afternoon in Nairobi following the successful conclusion of the meeting, Kofi Annan announced that a power-sharing agreement had been achieved. The political settlement agreed upon by both party leaders has created the new post of Prime Minister, to be held by Raila Odinga, with a coalition government of the two main parties in which cabinet posts would be shared between them. Parliament will convene next Thursday to pass a constitutional amendment to approve the changes agreed upon.

Speaking after the signing of the agreement, President Kibaki said, "As a nation there are more issues that unite than divide us. We've been reminded we must do all in our power to safeguard the peace that is the foundation of our national unity. Kenya has room for all of us if we can enhance peace and tolerance. Fellow Kenyans, we stand before you to give a solemn commitment."

Raila Odinga thanked Kofi Annan for his role in achieving the historic agreement. He also recognised Mr Kibaki as President. He stated that although they had been competitors during the elections they were now fellow countrymen. "In the past two months, Kenyans have known nothing but sadness," he said. "We have now opened a new chapter in our history, from the era of confrontation to the beginning of cooperation. We should ensure that Kenyans begin to celebrate and love each other, that we destroy the monster that is called ethnicity. I will ensure that what we have developed today will succeed."

The power-sharing agreement at last brings the two opposing sides together in a coalition government on terms agreeable to all. It has provided the political solution which had been sought to allow the country to recover from the trauma and civil unrest which followed the announcement of the election results.

Kenyans throughout the country were celebrating this evening and hopes are high that this political settlement will restore Kenya to its position as one of the most stable and successful countries in Africa. All the indications are that the overwhelming majority of Kenyans are delighted to see an end to the political stalemate and tension. The feeling of relief was evident among people everywhere and for the first time in weeks optimism was high as many Kenyans expressed their hopes for a better future.

SECURITY SITUATION IN KENYA:

The security situation throughout Kenya was calm and peaceful in all areas with a mood of relief and celebration following the announcement of the power-sharing agreement.

Jake Grieves-Cook
Spokesman
Kenya Tourism Federation

Wednesday 27th February 2008, 10 p.m. Nairobi

POLITICAL UPDATE:

Today Kofi Annan held meetings with the President and with the leader of the ODM opposition to discuss the contentious issues that are still pending following several weeks of discussions between the negotiating teams from the two sides of the political divide.

After consultations with Kofi Annan, the ODM leader Mr Raila Odinga announced today that he was calling off all public demonstrations and rallies until further notice to allow for continued discussions between the mediators and the principals.

President Kibaki was reported to have confirmed his willingness to accept a power-sharing arrangement and a coalition government but required this to be within the provisions of the current constitution.

The Chairman of the African Union, President Kikwete of Tanzania, arrived in Nairobi yesterday to lend his support to the mediation process. Today he met both President Kibaki and Hon Odinga as well as holding a briefing meeting with Kofi Annan. President Kikwete has indicated that he will stay on in Kenya until tomorrow and stated that he was hopeful that it was possible to bridge the gap between the two sides, appealing to the politicians to come to an agreement as soon as possible.

The Mayor of Nairobi was sworn in today, in spite of a tie in the mayoral election, as both sides agreed to his appointment under a power-sharing arrangement which caused observers to suggest that this could set a good example to the political leadership.

SECURITY SITUATION IN KENYA:

The security situation throughout Kenya is calm and there were no reports received today of post-election violence anywhere in the country.

The Kenya Tourism Federation has lifted its previous recommendation that tourist visitors should avoid travel to the western region of Kenya including Nyanza Province, Western Province, and the western area of Rift Valley Province. Tourist vehicles continue travelling to Lake Naivasha, through Naivasha town and onwards to Lake Nakuru National Park without experiencing any problems as the security situation on the main highways through these towns is now back to normal. However we continue to monitor the situation and in the event of any security concerns we will immediately notify tour operators so that itineraries can be altered if required.

In Nairobi it is recommended that the high density housing estates and slums should be avoided, including Eastleigh, Mathare, Huruma, and Kibera but tourists have always been advised to keep away from these areas.

As the situation returns to normal, police are now taking action, in those areas where there were previous incidents of civil unrest and ethnic clashes, to disband armed groups and to arrest persons suspected of having been involved in inciting violence.

Jake Grieves-Cook
Spokesman
Kenya Tourism Federation

Tuesday 26th February 2008, 10 p.m. Nairobi

POLITICAL UPDATE:

Today Kofi Annan suspended the negotiation talks in order to take up the issues under consideration directly with President Kibaki and with Hon Raila Odinga. It is hoped that this will result in the two political leaders helping to accelerate the negotiation process.

Mr Annan again confirmed the commitment of his mediation team to assist in finding a lasting solution to the political crisis. The ODM opposition leaders expressed their support for the decision by Kofi Annan to meet Mr Kibaki and Mr Odinga to attempt to move the process forward, asserting that ODM was not responsible for the current political stalemate and that they felt a sense of frustration at the lack of progress. However the government side stated that they had already made concessions to keep the negotiation process moving forward and were ready to continue participating in the negotiations as soon as the talks resumed under the mediation of Kofi Annan.

President Kikwete of Tanzania, who is the new Chairman of the African Union, arrived in Nairobi today to lend his support to the mediation progress.

SECURITY SITUATION IN KENYA:

The security situation throughout Kenya is calm and there were no reports received today of post-election violence anywhere in the country.

The Kenya Tourism Federation is now lifting its previous recommendation that tourist visitors should avoid travel to the western region of Kenya including Nyanza Province, Western Province, and the western area of Rift Valley Province.

Tourist vehicles continue travelling to Lake Naivasha, through Naivasha town and onwards to Lake Nakuru National Park without experiencing any problems as the security situation on the main highways through these towns is now back to normal.

In Nairobi it is recommended that the high density housing estates and slums should be avoided, including Eastleigh, Mathare, Huruma, and Kibera but tourists have always been advised to keep away from these areas.

Jake Grieves-Cook
Spokesman
Kenya Tourism Federation

Monday 25th February 2008, 11 p.m. Nairobi

POLITICAL UPDATE:

The talks between the negotiation teams representing the government and opposition chaired by Kofi Annan continued again today. Both parties had agreed in principle previously to the creation of a Prime Minister's position, which would be taken by ODM Opposition leader Mr Odinga. It was expected that today the negotiations would consider the question of the powers and responsibilities to be assigned to the Prime Minister. However the two sides were unable to agree on how to divide powers between a prime minister and a president and it was reported that they were also split on the sharing of cabinet positions between the two sides and the timing of a new election if a power-sharing coalition collapsed. It was agreed that the talks should be adjourned and the key issues referred to the leaders of both sides, Mr Kibaki and Mr Odinga. In a brief statement today, Kofi Annan said he believed his mediation team had done its work and that he was now asking the party leaders to do theirs. Mr Annan met both leaders today to urge them to take a lead in directing their negotiating teams to agree on a settlement acceptable to all. It is expected that further details of the position taken by the leadership of both sides will be clarified tomorrow, Tuesday.

Mayoral elections took place in the cities and towns of Kenya today and mayors were elected by councillors throughout the country without any public disturbances or civil unrest. However in Nairobi the election resulted in a tie and the final outcome has not yet been determined.

SECURITY SITUATION IN KENYA:

The security situation continued to be calm throughout the whole of Kenya today and there were no reports received of post-election violence anywhere in the country.

In the tourist areas all continues unchanged with no problems reported affecting any tourist visitors to the international hotels in Nairobi, the beach resorts at the coast and the wildlife parks and reserves.

Areas to avoid: The Kenya Tourism Federation continues to recommend that for the time being tourist visitors should avoid travel to the western regions of Kenya including Nyanza Province, Western Province, and the western area of Rift Valley Province. In Nairobi it is recommended that the high density housing estates and slums should be avoided, including Eastleigh, Mathare, Huruma, and Kibera but tourists have always been advised to keep away from these areas.

TRAVEL ADVISORIES:

Over the weekend the British government lifted its travel advisory and no longer recommends avoiding all travel to the western region of Kenya. The British government continues to recommend avoiding travel to the high density low-income housing estates and slums of Nairobi. The British government also highlights the Naivasha / Nakuru area as an area which may now be visited but cautions that this area has seen civil unrest in recent weeks and that the situation should change so visitors should consult their tour operator to check. The Kenya Tourism Federation advises that as of now the situation is calm in Naivasha and Nakuru. Tourist vehicles continue travelling to Lake Naivasha, through Naivasha town and onwards to Lake Nakuru National Park without experiencing any problems and the security situation on the main highways through these towns continues to be normal and secure. The freight and transport companies also confirm that their lorries heading to and from Uganda have been driving through Naivasha and Nakuru without encountering problems.

Jake Grieves-Cook
Spokesman
Kenya Tourism Federation

Friday 22nd February 2008, 10 p.m. Nairobi

POLITICAL UPDATE:

The talks chaired by Mediator and former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan continued today. Mr Annan stated that both sides had agreed on the creation of a prime ministerial post and considered that this showed progress towards achieving a political settlement. However the two sides have not yet agreed on the exact role of the proposed prime minister. The ODM opposition are demanding that the post should include executive powers but the government was reported to be in favour of a non-executive prime minister. The talks will be continuing next week from Monday. Leading ODM MPs stated today that if an agreement is not reached during the course of next week then they would consider starting a campaign of civil disobedience with such tactics as work slowdowns in order to apply pressure for a quicker resolution.

The newly elected African Union Commission chairman, Jean Ping, was in Kenya today to meet the political leadership of both sides and expressed his hope that an agreement would be reached by next week.

Mayoral elections are due to take place in the cities of Kenya on Monday. These are not public elections as the council elections took place previously, at the same time as the parliamentary and presidential elections, so councillors have already been elected and each council will elect a mayor from amongst themselves. The ODM party won most council seats and the mayoral elections are expected to take place without creating any public unrest.

SECURITY SITUATION IN KENYA:

The security situation remains unchanged, with all areas throughout the country reported to be calm and no reports received of post-election violence anywhere in the country. However there have been some isolated incidents in the last two days in the slums of Nairobi as police moved in to deal with alleged illegal occupation of housing within the slums.

In the tourist areas all continues to be calm and unchanged with no problems reported affecting any tourist visitors to the international hotels in Nairobi, the beach resorts at the coast and the wildlife parks and reserves.

Areas to avoid: The Kenya Tourism Federation continues to recommend that for the time being visitors should avoid the following areas where there have been sporadic incidents of civil unrest in past weeks: Nyanza Province, Western Province, and the western area of Rift Valley Province including roads to the north of Narok to Bomet, Sotik and Njoro, the areas surrounding Kericho, Molo, Londiani, Nandi Hills and Eldoret. These places are in the Western region of the country and are not normally visited by tourists. Members of the Kenya Association of Tour Operators have avoided the whole western area since the onset of the post-election problems. Currently the situation in most of these places is reported to be calm with no reports in recent days of any election-related violence or ethnic clashes.

In Nairobi it is recommended that the high density housing estates and slums should be avoided, including Eastleigh, Mathare, Huruma, and Kibera but tourists have always been advised to keep away from these areas.

Jake Grieves-Cook
Spokesman
Kenya Tourism Federation

Thursday 21st February 2008, 6 p.m. Nairobi

POLITICAL UPDATE:

The talks between the government and ODM opposition negotiating teams have continued under the mediation of Kofi Annan who announced today that considerable progress has now been made towards ending the political crisis.

Talks have been adjourned until tomorow, as negotiators consult the political leadership on a compromise which it is reported has been largely agreed upon. The negotiators are expected to report back with final terms to be discussed tomorrow, Friday.

The opposition leaders have indicated that they would be prepared to accept the post of prime minister, providing it carried the necessary authority and power, as a means of achieving a political solution. The spokesman for the Kenya government said today that it agreed in principle to creating a prime minister's post and that the final details were now being discussed with the expectation that agreement could be reached by the weekend.

TRAVEL ADVISORIES:

The Spanish government has now followed others in lifting its travel advisory and limiting its advice against non-essential travel to the western region of Kenya, away from the tourism areas. This means that as of today the governments of the following countries do not have travel warnings against the whole of Kenya so that Nairobi, Mombasa and the national parks may now be visited by their nationals: USA, UK, Germany, Italy, Austria, Finland, France, Switzerland and Spain.

SECURITY SITUATION IN KENYA:

The security situation remains unchanged, with all areas throughout the country reported to be calm and no reports received of post-election violence anywhere in the country.

In the tourist areas all continues to be calm and unchanged with no problems reported affecting any tourist visitors to the international hotels in Nairobi, the beach resorts at the coast and the wildlife parks and reserves.

Areas to avoid: The Kenya Tourism Federation continues to recommend that for the time being visitors should avoid the following areas where there have been sporadic incidents of civil unrest in past weeks: Nyanza Province, Western Province, and the western area of Rift Valley Province including roads to the north of Narok to Bomet, Sotik and Njoro, the areas surrounding Kericho, Molo, Londiani, Nandi Hills and Eldoret. These places are in the Western region of the country and are not normally visited by tourists. Members of the Kenya Association of Tour Operators have avoided the whole western area since the onset of the post-election problems. Currently the situation in most of these places is reported to be calm with no reports in recent days of any election-related violence or ethnic clashes.

In Nairobi it is recommended that the high density housing estates and slums should be avoided, including Eastleigh, Mathare, Huruma, and Kibera but tourists have always been advised to keep away from these areas.

Jake Grieves-Cook
Spokesman
Kenya Tourism Federation

Monday 18th February 2008, 11 p.m. Nairobi

POLITICAL UPDATE:

The United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in Nairobi today as expected and immediately attended a briefing meeting with Kofi Annan before proceeding to have separate meetings with ODM opposition leader Raila Odinga and President Kibaki and government ministers.

Adressing the international media after these meetings, Ms Rice expressed her hope that Kenya's leaders would be able to come together to share power to end the political crisis. She said Kofi Annan had made good progress in working with the parties to settle several outstanding issues and will continue to mediate in the continuing negotiations. She confirmed the support of the United States together with the international community for the mediation process. She said the United States is helping with humanitarian assistance and is prepared to assist in the reconstruction of the infrastructure and the resettlement of people displaced from their homes.

The Presidential press office issued a statement after President Kibaki’s meeting with Condoleezza Rice which stated that the government remained committed to dialogue and "will continue looking for an amicable solution".

Raila Odinga held a press conference after his meeting with Condoleezza Rice and summarised the ODM proposals for a new position of prime minister, shared executive authority, and a fresh presidential election within two years.

The two sides are due to resume talks tomorrow, Tuesday, mediated by former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.

SECURITY SITUATION IN KENYA: The security situation remains unchanged, with all areas throughout the country reported to be calm and no reports received of post-election violence anywhere in the country.

In the tourist areas all continues to be calm and unchanged with no problems reported affecting any tourist visitors to the international hotels in Nairobi, the beach resorts at the coast and the wildlife parks and reserves.

Naivasha and Nakuru: Tourist vehicles continue travelling to Lake Naivasha, through Naivasha town and onwards to Lake Nakuru National Park without experiencing any problems as the security situation on the main highways through these towns is now reported to be back to normal. The freight and transport companies also confirm that their lorries heading to and from Uganda have been driving through Naivasha and Nakuru without encountering problems.

Areas to avoid: The Kenya Tourism Federation continues to monitor the security situation to ensure that any areas considered unsafe for tourists are avoided. While the beach resorts, the safari circuit, the airports in Mombasa and Nairobi as well as the highways between the airports to the Nairobi international hotels and beach hotels at the coast are considered safe for visitors at the present time, the following areas continue to be off-limits for tourists until further notice:

Western Kenya: The Kenya Tourism Federation continues to recommend that for the time being visitors should avoid the following areas where there have been sporadic incidents of civil unrest in past weeks: Nyanza Province, Western Province, and the western area of Rift Valley Province including roads to the north of Narok to Bomet, Sotik and Njoro, the areas surrounding Kericho, Molo, Londiani, Nandi Hills and Eldoret. These places are not normally visited by tourists and members of the Kenya Association of Tour Operators have avoided the whole area since the onset of the post-election problems. Currently the situation in most of these places is reported to be calm with no reports in recent days of any election-related violence or ethnic clashes.

In Nairobi it is recommended that the high density housing estates and slums should be avoided, including Eastleigh, Mathare, Huruma, and Kibera but tourists have always been advised to keep away from these areas.

Jake Grieves-Cook
Spokesman
Kenya Tourism Federation

Friday 15th February 2008, 7 p.m. Nairobi

POLITICAL UPDATE:
The former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan returned to Nairobi today after chairing two days of talks with the negotiation teams representing the government and opposition in a secluded location in one of the national parks. In a press conference at 5 pm today, he said that a possible power-sharing agreement had not yet been finalised but that the sides were getting closer and were “moving steadily”. He is due to meet President Kibaki and the ODM opposition leader Raila Odinga on Monday when the talks are expected to continue.

The United States government has announced that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will arrive in Nairobi on Monday with a message for the political leadership in Kenya and to express support for Kofi Annan’s efforts in his mediation role.

SECURITY SITUATION IN KENYA:
The security situation remains unchanged, with all areas throughout the country reported to be calm and no reports received of post-election violence anywhere in the country.

In the tourist areas all continues to be calm and unchanged with no problems reported affecting any tourist visitors to the international hotels in Nairobi, the beach resorts at the coast and the wildlife parks and reserves.

Naivasha and Nakuru: Tourist vehicles continue travelling to Lake Naivasha, through Naivasha town and onwards to Lake Nakuru National Park without experiencing any problems as the security situation on the main highways through these towns is now reported to be back to normal. The freight and transport companies also confirm that their lorries heading to and from Uganda have been driving through Naivasha and Nakuru without encountering problems.

Areas to avoid: The Kenya Tourism Federation continues to monitor the security situation to ensure that any areas considered unsafe for tourists are avoided. While the beach resorts, the safari circuit, the airports in Mombasa and Nairobi as well as the highways between the airports to the Nairobi international hotels and beach hotels at the coast are considered safe for visitors at the present time, the following areas continue to be off-limits for tourists until further notice:

Western Kenya: The Kenya Tourism Federation continues to recommend that for the time being visitors should avoid the following areas where there have been sporadic incidents of civil unrest in past weeks: Nyanza Province, Western Province, and the western area of Rift Valley Province including roads to the north of Narok to Bomet, Sotik and Njoro, the areas surrounding Kericho, Molo, Londiani, Nandi Hills and Eldoret. These places are not normally visited by tourists and members of the Kenya Association of Tour Operators have avoided the whole area since the onset of the post-election problems. Currently the situation in most of these places is reported to be calm with no reports in recent days of any election-related violence or ethnic clashes.

In Nairobi it is recommended that the high density housing estates and slums should be avoided, including Eastleigh, Mathare, Huruma, and Kibera but tourists have always been advised to keep away from these areas.

TRAVEL ADVISORIES
The Italian government has announced that it has lifted its travel advisory against visiting Kenya and now recommends its citizens to avoid the western part of the country. This is on similar lines to the advice of the US, British and German governments which also do not have “non-essential travel” advisories for the whole of Kenya but advise against visiting areas in the western region of the country.

Jake Grieves-Cook
Spokesman
Kenya Tourism Federation

Thursday 14th February 2008, 9 p.m. Nairobi

POLITICAL UPDATE:

The Government and the Orange Democratic Movement negotiation teams returned to Nairobi this afternoon after being based in Tsavo National Park for the past two days where they held their discussions away from the glare of the media spotlight. Mr Kofi Annan will be returning to Nairobi tomorrow and has scheduled a Press conference for 5pm tomorrow evening. The talks are then expected to resume in Nairobi on Monday morning to continue seeking a political solution acceptable to both sides.

The United States government has announced that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will arrive in Nairobi on Monday with a message for the political leadership in Kenya and to express support for Kofi Annan’s efforts in his mediation role.

SECURITY SITUATION IN KENYA:

The security situation remains unchanged since our update on 12th February, with all areas throughout the country reported to be calm and no reports received of post-election violence anywhere in the country.

In the tourist areas all continues to be calm and unchanged with no problems reported affecting any tourist visitors to the international hotels in Nairobi, the beach resorts at the coast and the wildlife parks and reserves.

Naivasha and Nakuru: Tourist vehicles continue travelling to Lake Naivasha, through Naivasha town and onwards to Lake Nakuru National Park without experiencing any problems as the security situation on the main highways through these towns is now reported to be back to normal. The freight and transport companies also confirm that their lorries heading to and from Uganda have been driving through Naivasha and Nakuru without encountering problems.

Areas to avoid

The Kenya Tourism Federation continues to monitor the security situation to ensure that any areas considered unsafe for tourists are avoided. While the beach resorts, the safari circuit, the airports in Mombasa and Nairobi as well as the highways between the airports to the Nairobi international hotels and beach hotels at the coast are considered safe for visitors at the present time, the following areas continue to be off-limits for tourists until further notice:

Western Kenya: The Kenya Tourism Federation continues to recommend that for the time being visitors should avoid the following areas where there have been sporadic incidents of civil unrest in past weeks: Nyanza Province, Western Province, and the western area of Rift Valley Province including roads to the north of Narok to Bomet, Sotik and Njoro, the areas surrounding Kericho, Molo, Londiani, Nandi Hills and Eldoret. These places are not normally visited by tourists and members of the Kenya Association of Tour Operators have avoided the whole area since the onset of the post-election problems. Currently the situation in most of these places is reported to be calm with no reports in recent days of any election-related violence or ethnic clashes.

In Nairobi it is recommended that the high density housing estates and slums should be avoided, including Eastleigh, Mathare, Huruma, and Kibera but tourists have always been advised to keep away from these areas.

Jake Grieves-Cook
Spokesman
Kenya Tourism Federation

Tuesday 12th February 2008, 5 p.m. Nairobi

POLITICAL UPDATE:

Today Kofi Annan met Kenyan MPs from all the political parties at a special session of Parliament to brief them on the progress of the talks between the government and opposition negotiating teams which he has been chairing. Mr Annan repeated calls that have been made for MPs to travel to their constituencies and preach peace and reconciliation. He commended the government for lifting a ban on live media coverage and holding of political meetings.

As the continuing talks enter their third week, they are being moved away from Nairobi to a private location for three days to avoid the glare of publicity. Yesterday Mr Annan took a short break from the talks to go for a leisurely walk in the Uhuru Park in the centre of Nairobi. Mr Annan has asked both sides not to discuss the contents of the talks in public, indicating that at the appropriate time he will release a statement on the outcome of the discussions to the media. It has been reported that both the opposition (ODM) and President Mwai Kibaki's party (PNU) have tabled proposals for a power-sharing agreement. Mr Annan stated that both ODM leader Raila Odinga and President Kibaki have been well briefed of the progress of the talks so far and are in total support of the process.

SECURITY SITUATION IN KENYA:

The security situation throughout Kenya today was again reported to be calm in all areas and for the last few days no reports have been received of post-election violence anywhere in the country.

In the tourist areas all continues to be calm and unchanged with no problems reported affecting any tourist visitors to the international hotels in Nairobi, the beach resorts at the coast and the wildlife parks and reserves. Tourist arrivals into Mombasa and Nairobi airports have dropped substantially in the last three weeks owing to travel advisories imposed by various governments, particularly Western European countries, but the US and British governments do not have a full advisory in place against non-essential travel to Kenya as a whole and instead are advising that specific places such as the western corner of Kenya should be avoided. The British advisory specifically mentions wildlife parks and reserves which they do not consider to pose a risk for visitors. Tourist visitors to the parks and reserves in recent days have been having an exclusive wildlife experience with few other tourist vehicles to be seen. Many visitors have expressed their surprise that the images portrayed by their national media at home were so very different from their actual experience on a safari or beach vacation in Kenya once they arrived here.

Mombasa and the coast: Mombasa town continues to be calm and it is generally peaceful throughout all of the coast province. The British government recently lifted its advisory against travel to Mombasa town in view of the improved security situation.

The route to the Mara past Narok town continues to be used by tourist vehicles without any problems reported. The Senior Warden for Masai Mara National Reserve has also confirmed that security patrols have been put in place both on the approach to and exit from Narok town as an additional measure to ensure the safety of tourists. The British government has now removed its advisory against travelling by road to the Mara through Narok. This is now consistent with our own advice.

Naivasha and Nakuru: Tourist vehicles continue travelling to Lake Naivasha, through Naivasha town and onwards to Lake Nakuru National Park without experiencing any problems as the security situation on the main highways through these towns is now reported to be back to normal. The freight and transport companies also confirm that their lorries heading to and from Uganda have been driving through Naivasha and Nakuru without encountering problems.

Areas to avoid
The Kenya Tourism Federation continues to monitor the security situation to ensure that any areas considered unsafe for tourists are avoided. While the beach resorts, the safari circuit, the airports in Mombasa and Nairobi as well as the highways between the airports to the Nairobi international hotels and beach hotels at the coast are considered safe for visitors at the present time, the following areas continue to be off-limits for tourists until further notice:

Western Kenya: The Kenya Tourism Federation continues to recommend that for the time being visitors should avoid the following areas where there have been sporadic incidents of civil unrest in recent weeks: Nyanza Province, Western Province, and the western area of Rift Valley Province including roads to the north of Narok to Bomet, Sotik and Njoro, the areas surrounding Kericho, Molo, Londiani, Nandi Hills and Eldoret. These places are not normally visited by tourists and members of the Kenya Association of Tour Operators have avoided the whole area since the onset of the post-election problems. Currently the situation in most of these places is reported to be calm with no reports in recent days of any election-related violence or ethnic clashes.

For visitors to Nairobi it is recommended that the high density housing estates and slums should be avoided, including Eastleigh, Mathare, Huruma, and Kibera but tourists have always been advised to keep away from these areas.

Jake Grieves-Cook
Spokesman
Kenya Tourism Federation

Monday 11th February 2008 4 p.m. Nairobi

POLITICAL UPDATE:

The negotiating teams representing the government and opposition continued their series of meetings again today with Kofi Annan mediating. At the end of last week it was reported that good progress was being made and hopes have been raised that a political settlement acceptable to all may be reached soon. In the meantime the government lifted the ban on politicians making live broadcasts or holding public meetings, citing the recently improved security in the country.

SECURITY SITUATION IN KENYA:

There was no change over the weekend or today and the security position remains the same as indicated in the report on Friday 8th February below. There were no reports today of ethnic clashes or violence linked to the post-election dispute anywhere in the country.

Jake Grieves-Cook
Spokesman
Kenya Tourism Federation

Saturday 9th February 2008 8 p.m. Nairobi

POLITICAL UPDATE:

The funeral took place today at Chepkoiyo near Kericho of the opposition ODM MP, Mr Kimutai Too who was shot dead last week. All the leading opposition MPs attended, led by Raila Odinga, together with thousands of ODM supporters. This was the first mass public gathering since the government lifted a ban on rallies imposed after the election and the occasion passed without violence or confrontations with the police. Several speakers at Too's funeral in Kericho today called for reconciliation and a peaceful resolution to the political crisis.

The negotiating teams representing the government and opposition are due to meet again on Monday with Kofi Annan mediating. It was reported that progress is being made and hopes have been raised that a settlement may be reached during the course of next week.

SECURITY SITUATION IN KENYA:

No change today and the position remains the same as indicated in yesterday’s report, Friday 8th February. No reports of ethnic clashes or violence linked to the post-election dispute anywhere in the country.

TOURISM NEWS:

The East African Whale Shark Trust is organising a Whale Shark Satellite Tagging programme from Diani Beach on Kenya’s south coast between 18th February and 2nd March. For a fee of US$90 per person for the day, tourists staying at the beach resorts at Diani can join world renowned scientists on a daily whale shark safari lasting 4 hours. They will be taken out in a boat leaving Pinewood Village in the morning and guided by a spotter plane to find the whale sharks. Snorkelling equipment is provided and there will be the opportunity to swim with whale sharks and to watch the research team tag the world’s largest fish. This is a memorable experience and helps to support research and conservation.

Jake Grieves-Cook
Spokesman
Kenya Tourism Federation

Friday 8th February 2008 6 p.m.

POLITICAL UPDATE:
The mediation talks between the government and opposition continued today under the Chairmanship of Kofi Annan as mediator, with reports that significant progress towards a settlement has now been made, with agreement reached on the broad principles of a possible solution. Kofi Annan told reporters, "We are all agreed that a political settlement is needed, that a political settlement is necessary and we are working out the details of such a settlement."

SECURITY SITUATION IN KENYA:
The security situation throughout Kenya was again reported to be calm in all areas and for the third consecutive day no reports were received of post-election violence anywhere in the country.

In the tourist areas all is calm and unchanged with no problems reported affecting any tourist visitors to the international hotels in Nairobi, the beach resorts at the coast and the wildlife parks and reserves.

Mombasa and the coast: Mombasa town continues to be calm and it is generally peaceful throughout the coast province. The British government recently lifted its advisory against travel to Mombasa town in view of the improved security situation.

The route to the Mara past Narok town continues to be used by tourist vehicles without any problems reported. The Senior Warden for Masai Mara National Reserve has also confirmed that security patrols have been put in place both on the approach to and exit from Narok town as an additional measure to ensure the safety of tourists.

Naivasha and Nakuru: Tourist vehicles continue travelling to Lake Naivasha, through Naivasha town and onwards to Lake Nakuru National Park without experiencing any problems as the security situation on the main highways through these towns is now reported to be back to normal. The freight and transport companies also report that their lorries have been driving through Naivasha and Nakuru without encountering problems and continuing on to Uganda.

Areas to avoid
The Kenya Tourism Federation continues to monitor the security situation to ensure that any areas considered unsafe for tourists are avoided. While the beach resorts, the safari circuit, the airports in Nairobi and the highways between them to the Nairobi international hotels are considered safe for visitors at the present time, the following areas continue to be off-limits for tourists until further notice:

Western Kenya: The Kenya Tourism Federation continues to recommend that for the time being visitors should avoid the following areas where there have been sporadic incidents of civil unrest in recent weeks: Nyanza Province, Western Province, and the western area of Rift Valley Province including roads to the north of Narok to Bomet, Sotik and Njoro, the areas surrounding Kericho, Molo, Londiani, Nandi Hills and Eldoret. These places are not normally visited by tourists and members of the Kenya Association of Tour Operators have avoided the whole area since the onset of the post-election problems. Currently the situation in most of these places is reported to be calm but in recent weeks there have been frequent disturbances and civil unrest in Kisumu and in the areas around Kericho and Eldoret.

For visitors to Nairobi it is recommended that the high density housing estates and slums should be avoided, including Eastleigh, Mathare, Huruma, and Kibera but tourists have always been advised to keep away from these areas.

TOURISM NEWS:
Cruise ships are again calling at Mombasa after an absence during the past month owing to concerns caused by the post-election crisis, with the Silverseas cruise ship arriving this week, bringing over 200 tourists who went on safaris to Tsavo, Amboseli and the Mara.

In the community-owned Ol Choro Oirogua Conservancy in the Mara, a new-born rhino calf was promptly given the name “Kofi Annan” by rangers in recognition of the role being played by the former UN Secretary General.

Jake Grieves-Cook
Spokesman
Kenya Tourism Federation

Thursday 7th February 2008 7.30 pm

Once again no reports were received today of any new incidents of violence linked to the post-election crisis from anywhere in the country and the situation remains unchanged since yesterday’s report below.

The talks between the government and opposition negotiating teams continue with Kofi Annan mediating.

Foreign ministers from Djibouti, Ethiopia, Sudan, Uganda and Somalia who arrived in Nairobi yesterday for a meeting of the East African regional group, Igad, met today to discuss the crisis. A statement is awaited.

The main focus of attention in Kenya now is on the continuing discussions to end the political impasse in the country.

Jake Grieves-Cook
Spokesman
Kenya Tourism Federation

Wednesday 6th February 2008 10 p.m.

POLITICAL UPDATE:
The two teams selected by the government and opposition to represent both sides in discussing a solution to the political dispute have been increased to 4 persons on each side, with Mr Annan as mediator backed by a team of “Eminent Africans” including Graca Machel and the former President of Tanzania. Today the meeting continued seeking to arrive at a solution, with agreement that the first objective is to secure an end to violence.

The government has confirmed that the ban on live broadcasts by politicians has been lifted, citing the recent improvement in security.

SECURITY SITUATION IN KENYA:
The security situation throughout Kenya was again reported to be calm including in those areas in the western corner of Kenya which have recently experienced ethnic clashes and violent disturbances. No reports were received of post-election violence anywhere in the country today.

In the tourist areas all continues calm and unchanged with no problems reported affecting any tourist visitors to the international hotels in Nairobi, the beach resorts at the coast and the wildlife parks and reserves.

Mombasa and the coast: Mombasa town continues to be calm and peaceful and it is peaceful throughout the coast province. The British government has now lifted its advisory on Mombasa with effect from today in view of the improved security situation.

The route to the Mara past Narok town continues to be used by tourist vehicles without any problems reported. The Senior Warden for Masai Mara National Reserve has also confirmed that security patrols have been put in place both on the approach to and exit from Narok town as an additional measure to ensure the safety of tourists.

Naivasha and Nakuru: Tourist vehicles continue travelling to Lake Naivasha, through Naivasha town and onwards to Lake Nakuru National Park. Throughout the past four weeks Lake Nakuru National Park has remained secure and safe for visitors with KWS rangers on duty to patrol the park. The media visited Nakuru town today and local TV showed interviews by well-known newsman Jeff Koinange with people in Nakuru on the streets and in shops to confirm that life had returned to normal and that local residents had vowed to forget their differences and to live together.

AREAS TO AVOID
The Kenya Tourism Federation continues to monitor the security situation to ensure that any areas considered unsafe for tourists are avoided. While the beach resorts, the safari circuit, the airports in Nairobi and the highways between them to the Nairobi international hotels are considered safe for visitors at the present time, the following areas continue to be off-limits for tourists until further notice:

Western Kenya: The Kenya Tourism Federation continues to recommend that for the time being visitors should avoid the following areas where there have been sporadic incidents of civil unrest in recent weeks: Nyanza Province, Western Province, and the western area of Rift Valley Province including roads to the north of Narok to Bomet, Sotik and Njoro, the areas surrounding Kericho, Molo, Londiani, Nandi Hills and Eldoret. These places are not normally visited by tourists and members of the Kenya Association of Tour Operators have avoided the whole area since the onset of the post-election problems. Currently the situation in most of these places is reported to be calm but in recent weeks there have been frequent disturbances and civil unrest in Kisumu and in the areas around Kericho and Eldoret.

For visitors to Nairobi it is recommended that the high density housing estates and slums should be avoided, including Eastleigh, Mathare, Huruma, and Kibera but tourists have always been advised to keep away from these areas.

Jake Grieves-Cook
Spokesman
Kenya Tourism Federation

Tuesday 5th February 2008 4 p.m.

POLITICAL UPDATE:

Following Kofin Annan’s arrival in Kenya, he succeeded in quickly bringing the two opposing sides together in talks aimed at solving the current political crisis. The government and opposition sides have each chosen a 3-person team to negotiate a political settlement, with Mr Annan as mediator backed by a team of “Eminent Africans” including Graca Machel and the former President of Tanzania. After their first full morning meeting last week, both sides issued a joint statement which expressed optimism that a peaceful solution to the political crisis would be arrived at sooner rather than later. An agenda has been agreed upon with one of the first objectives being to take urgent steps to stop the violence and thereby resolve the immediate crisis within a 15 day time-scale.

Mr Annan’s team proposed Cyril Ramaphosa as mediator to lead talks in the longer term to address Kenya's ethnic and land issues. However the government side expressed reservations about Mr Ramaphosa, whom it was suggested might have business links to ODM leader Raila Odinga, whereupon he withdrew and left the country yesterday. This means an alternative person will have to be appointed. In the short term the key priority is to achieve an immediate end to violence and the talks continue today with Mr Annan as mediator.

As part of the strategy to stop violence, MPs are returning to their constituencies to urge their supporters to shun violence and keep the peace. It seems that this approach is already having an effect as calm has returned to many of the areas previously experiencing unrest. The coast MPs announced in Mombasa that they intend that the coast region should set an example to the rest of the country as to how different ethnic groups can once again live together in harmony as Kenyans.

SECURITY SITUATION IN KENYA:
The security situation in the country today is now reported to be calmer in those areas in the western corner of Kenya which have experienced ethnic clashes in recent days.

In the tourist areas all continues calm and unchanged with no problems reported affecting any tourist visitors to the international hotels in Nairobi, the beach resorts at the coast and the wildlife parks and reserves.

The route to the Mara past Narok town continues to be used by tourist vehicles without any problems reported. The Senior Warden for Masai Mara National Reserve has also confirmed that security patrols have been put in place both on the approach to and exit from Narok town as an additional measure to ensure the safety of tourists.

Naivasha and Nakuru: Tourist vehicles continue travelling to Lake Naivasha, through Naivasha town and onwards to Lake Nakuru National Park. Throughout the past four weeks Lake Nakuru National Park has remained secure and safe for visitors with KWS rangers on duty to patrol the park.

Mombasa: The security situation in Mombasa town has been calm and peaceful for a continuous period over the past two weeks and it is generally calm throughout the coast province.

Areas to avoid
The Kenya Tourism Federation continues to monitor the security situation to ensure that any areas considered unsafe for tourists are avoided. While the beach resorts, the safari circuit, the airports in Nairobi and the highways between them to the Nairobi international hotels are considered safe for visitors at the present time, the following areas continue to be off-limits for tourists until further notice:

Western Kenya: The Kenya Tourism Federation continues to recommend that for the time being visitors should avoid the following areas where there have been sporadic incidents of civil unrest in recent weeks: Nyanza Province, Western Province, and the western area of Rift Valley Province including roads to the north of Narok to Bomet, Sotik and Njoro, the areas surrounding Kericho, Molo, Londiani, Nandi Hills and Eldoret. These places are not normally visited by tourists and members of the Kenya Association of Tour Operators have avoided the whole area since the onset of the post-election problems. Currently the situation in most of these places is reported to be calm but in recent weeks there have been frequent disturbances and civil unrest in Kisumu and in the areas around Kericho and Eldoret.

For visitors to Nairobi it is recommended that the high density housing estates and slums should be avoided, including Eastleigh, Mathare, Huruma, and Kibera but tourists have always been advised to keep away from these areas.

News from the National Parks:
The Kenya Wildlife Service has announced the results of a census of the elephant population in Tsavo National Park and the surrounding eco-system which shows that numbers have increased and poaching is at minimal levels. Tsavo is Kenya’s largest national park and the elephant population there is now 11,696 which is an increase on the figure of three years ago of 10,397. The new figure from this year’s census represents a 4.1 per cent growth rate, according to the Kenya Wildlife Service Director, Dr Julius Kipng’etich. “The elephant is Kenya’s flagship species and so its distribution and condition is a good indicator of the status of our wildlife,” Dr Kipng’etich said.

Jake Grieves-Cook
Spokesman
Kenya Tourism Federation

Monday 4th February 2008 4 p.m.

SECURITY SITUATION IN KENYA:

The security situation in the country has not changed in the last two days with the areas of civil unrest still confined to the western corner of Kenya including districts surrounding Kisumu, Kericho and Eldoret. There have been reports of inter-ethnic clashes over the last two days in the area between Bomet and Kisii, south of Kericho, with a number of fatalities reported.

In the tourist areas all continues calm and unchanged with no problems reported affecting any tourist visitors to the international hotels in Nairobi, the beach resorts at the coast and the wildlife parks and reserves.

The route to the Mara past Narok town continues to be used by tourist vehicles without any problems. The Senior Warden for Masai Mara National Reserve has also confirmed that security patrols have been put in place both on the approach to and exit from Narok town as an additional measure to ensure the safety of tourists.

Naivasha and Nakuru: Tourist vehicles are travelling once again to Lake Naivasha, through Naivasha town and onwards to Lake Nakuru National Park. Throughout the past four weeks Lake Nakuru National Park has remained secure and safe for visitors with KWS rangers on duty to patrol the park.

Mombasa: The security situation in Mombasa town has been calm and peaceful for a continuous period over the past two weeks.

Areas to avoid
The Kenya Tourism Federation continues to monitor the security situation to ensure that any areas considered unsafe for tourists are avoided. While the beach resorts, the safari circuit, the airports in Nairobi and the highways between them to the Nairobi international hotels are considered safe for visitors at the present time, the following areas are absolutely off-limits for tourists until further notice:

Western Kenya: The Kenya Tourism Federation continues to recommend that for the time being visitors should avoid the following areas where there have been sporadic incidents of civil unrest in recent weeks: Nyanza Province, Western Province, and the western area of Rift Valley Province including roads to the north of Narok to Bomet, Sotik and Njoro, the areas surrounding Kericho, Molo, Londiani, Nandi Hills and Eldoret. These places are not normally visited by tourists and members of the Kenya Association of Tour Operators have avoided the whole area since the onset of the post-election problems. Currently the situation in most of these places is reported to be calm but there have been frequent disturbances and civil unrest in Kisumu and in the areas around Kericho and Eldoret.

For visitors to Nairobi it is recommended that the high density housing estates and slums should be avoided, including Eastleigh, Mathare, Huruma, and Kibera but tourists have always been advised to keep away from these areas.

Talks continue between the political leadership on both sides:
The six-member team made up of three senior politicians from each side, the Government and Opposition, have been meeting again today, with Kofi Annan mediating, and a statement is expected later today to report on their progress in working together to restore peace in the troubled western areas of Kenya. Yesterday churches across the whole country were crowded as Kenyans prayed for a peaceful resolution to the crisis, reflecting the wish of the overwhelming majority of people that violence and ethnic conflict should be ended quickly.

Jake Grieves-Cook
Spokesman
Kenya Tourism Federation

Friday 1st February 2008 4 p.m.

POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS:

Murder of MP yesterday in Eldoret:

As reported yesterday, an ODM opposition MP, Mr David Kimutai Too, was shot dead in Eldoret town together with a female companion. Eyewitness accounts by members of the public and a statement by the Kenya Police indicate that Mr Too was in the company of a woman police constable and that they were followed and shot dead by a policeman colleague of the dead woman. The assailant was arrested and is expected to appear in court today charged with murder. Initially there was some speculation reported in the media that this could have been a political assassination and subsequently there were street protests and demonstrations in Eldoret, Kisumu and Kericho. However the Police have indicated that their initial investigation suggests that this was a crime of passion unconnected with the post-election crisis.

Talks continue between the political leadership on both sides:

A six-member team has been appointed by the Government and ODM Opposition with three senior politicians from both sides and yesterday they held their inaugural meeting chaired by Mr Kofi Annan. After a full morning meeting they issued a joint statement which expressed optimism that a peaceful solution to the political crisis would be arrived at sooner rather than later.

The government statement said: “The country would be amazed by the speed with which this committee has deliberated on the issues today. The committee was discussing the agenda and most of the things discussed have been agreeable.”

The ODM Pentagon statement said the committee was determined to go through the issues placed before them by Mr Annan with a view to striking a peace deal.

“We are determined to get a solution to the problems facing this country.We have covered a lot of ground, which is a positive development. A peaceful solution is likely to emerge and you can be sure that nothing will derail us,” said the ODM spokesman.

The team was expected to continue meeting today and stated their intention of arriving at a solution to end the violence within seven days.

There is an increasing desire, being expressed by all sections of society in Kenya, to seek peace and reconciliation between the opposing sides which is reflected in the statements made by the political leadership. The ODM opposition party called off street protests last week and this has helped to reduce tensions.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon has arrived in Nairobi, to boost efforts to end post-election violence.

Mr Ban is expected to meet opposition leader Raila Odinga today, having seen President Kibaki at a summit yesterday.

SECURITY SITUATION IN KENYA:

The security situation continues much as before with the areas of civil unrest confined to the western corner of Kenya including areas surrounding Kisumu, Kericho and Eldoret as well as the high density housing estates and slums of Nairobi. In the tourist areas all continues calm and unchanged with no problems reported affecting tourist visitors to the international hotels in Nairobi, the beach resorts at the coast and the wildlife parks and reserves.

The route to the Mara past Narok town is now considered by the Kenya Tourism Federation to be secure once again for tourist visitors. Tourist vehicles have been driving along this route from Nairobi to the Mara daily without any problem and all the latest reports confirm that the road is open and that traffic is moving freely. The route to the Mara is south from Narok and drivers do not need to drive north to Bomet which is within the area recommended as off-limits to tourists (see below). The Senior Warden for Masai Mara National Reserve has also confirmed that a permanent security patrol has been established both on the approach to and exit from Narok town as an additional measure to ensure the safety of tourists.

Naivasha and Nakuru: Following clashes between rival groups recently in and around Naivasha and Nakuru, the Kenya Tourism Federation had recommended that road safaris through Naivasha town and on by road to Lake Nakuru should be suspended while the situation was monitored and until it was confirmed that the police and army had fully restored order and calm. It is now considered that the road through Naivasha and on to Nakuru is secure after confirmation that traffic has been moving without a problem in recent days. We recommend that tourist vehicles may once again resume travel to Lake Naivasha, through Naivasha town and onwards to Lake Nakuru National Park. Lake Nakuru National Park has remained secure and safe for visitors with KWS rangers on duty

Mombasa: The security situation in Mombasa town has been calm and peaceful for a continuous period over the past two weeks. The Kenya Tourism Federation therefore considers the area to be safe and tourist vehicles can now pass through Mombasa town without a problem while day excursions to Mombasa for tourists from the coastal beach resorts can be operated again.

Areas to avoid

The Kenya Tourism Federation continues to monitor the security situation to ensure that any areas considered unsafe for tourists are avoided. While the beach resorts, the safari circuit, the airports in Nairobi and the highways between them to the Nairobi international hotels are considered safe for visitors at the present time, the following areas are absolutely off-limits for tourists until further notice:

Western Kenya: The Kenya Tourism Federation continues to recommend that for the time being visitors should avoid the following areas where there have been sporadic incidents of civil unrest in recent weeks: Nyanza Province, Western Province, and the western area of Rift Valley Province including roads to the north of Narok to Bomet, Sotik and Njoro, the areas surrounding Kericho, Molo, Londiani, Nandi Hills and Eldoret. These places are not normally visited by tourists and members of the Kenya Association of Tour Operators have avoided these areas since the onset of the post-election problems. Currently the situation in most of these areas is reported to be calm but there have been frequent disturbances and civil unrest in Kisumu, Kericho and Eldoret.

For visitors to Nairobi it is recommended that the high density housing estates and slums should be avoided, including Eastleigh, Mathare, Huruma, and Kibera but tourists have always been advised to keep away from these areas.

Jake Grieves-Cook
Spokesman
Kenya Tourism Federation

Thursday 31st January 2008 3.30 p.m.

Murder of MP today in Eldoret:

It was reported that an ODM opposition MP, Mr David Kimutai Too, was shot dead in Eldoret this morning. Some international media reports have appeared claiming that Mr Too was shot by police at a road-block. However the Kenya Police have now issued a statement indicating that the shooting of the ODM opposition MP today appears to be a "crime of passion" and that the correct details are as follows:

• At 10:00 am Eldoret Police Station received a report that a policewoman who was in the company of a man had been shot by a colleague in the town of Eldoret.
• Police moved to the scene and commenced investigations where they established that at about 09:30 am PC Eunice Chepkwony was picked up by a man outside the police station in a vehicle and that they drove off towards a hotel. The policewoman's boyfriend, another Police constable, PC Andrew Maoche, then trailed them on a motorcycle.
• PC Eunice Chepkwony and her companion stopped outside the hotel and as they were about to enter PC Maoche approached the couple and fired several shots at them. The man died on the way to Hospital while PC Eunice Chepkwony was admitted in serious condition.
• Later it was established that the deceased is Hon. David Kimutai Too, the MP for Ainamoi Constituency.
• PC Andrew Maoche has been arrested and will appear in court tomorrow charged with murder.

We hope that the international media will correct their reports to avoid creating the impression that this incident was linked to post-election unrest.

Other than some initial anxiety over speculation about the motives for the killing of the MP Hon Kimutai Too, which has now been allayed by the statement issued quickly by the Kenya Police, the situation throughout the country has been calm today with no reports of any disturbances or violence linked to the post-election crisis as at 3.30 p.m. today.

Nairobi: The situation within the city of Nairobi was all calm and normal today.

Tourist areas:
The main tourist areas at the beach resorts and the safari circuit continue to receive international tourist visitors as usual and the current situation is as follows:

Mombasa and coast: there are no problems at any of the beach resorts and the roads between Malindi, Watamu, Kilifi, Nyali, Bamburi, Mombasa, Diani, Galu, Msambweni are all open and reported to have no problems. The international airport at Mombasa is operating as normal with both charter flights and
daily scheduled services flying in and there is no problem with access to the airport on the roads from the north and south of Mombasa. The ferry at Likoni is operating as normal for tourists travelling to the south coast.

Safaris: all the national parks and wildlife reserves are operating as normal with most camps and lodges open for business. The roads linking the parks and reserves are all open and conditions are normal with the exception of roads through Naivasha town (see below). For tourist vehicles travelling by road to the Mara, the road passing Narok town is a stretch of approximately 4 kms and is now being monitored by a permanent security patrol to ensure that there are no problems for tourist vehicles. For the past week tourist vehicles have been driving along this route from Nairobi to the Mara daily without any problem and latest reports indicate that the road is open and that traffic is moving freely. The route to the Mara is south from Narok and drivers do not need to drive north to Bomet which is within the area recommended as off-limits to tourists (see below).

Areas to avoid
The Kenya Tourism Federation continues to monitor the security situation to ensure that any areas considered unsafe for tourists are avoided. While the beach resorts, the safari circuit, the airports in Nairobi and the highways between them to the Nairobi international hotels are considered safe for
visitors at the present time, the following areas are off-limits for tourists until further notice:

Naivasha and Nakuru
Following the recent clashes between rival groups in and around Naivasha and Nakuru, the roads have been open to traffic for the past three days and the police have restored order. However the Kenya Tourism Federation recommends that road safaris through Naivasha town and on by road to Lake Nakuru should be suspended for the present time while we monitor the situation and until we can confirm that peace and calm have been fully restored once again in the area.

Air safaris may continue to Lake Nakuru National Park using the airstrips next to the park in the Congreve Conservancy or at Lanet. The Warden of Lake Nakuru National Park has confirmed that all is calm within the park and that tourist visitors have not been affected by the clashes beyond Nakuru. Lake Nakuru Park remains secure and safe for visitors with KWS rangers on duty.

Western Kenya, areas off-limits for tourists: In addition to Naivasha and Nakuru, the Kenya Tourism Federation continues to recommend that for the time being visitors should avoid the following areas where there have been sporadic incidents of civil unrest in recent weeks: Nyanza Province, Western
Province, and the western area of Rift Valley Province including roads to the north of Narok to Bomet, Sotik and Njoro, the areas surrounding Kericho, Molo, Londiani, Nandi Hills and Eldoret. These places are not normally visited by tourists and members of the Kenya Association of Tour Operators
have avoided these areas since the onset of the post-election problems. Currently the situation in these areas is reported to be calm.

For visitors to Nairobi it is recommended that the high density housing estates and slums should be avoided, including Eastleigh, Mathare, Huruma, and Kibera but tourists have always been advised to keep away from these areas.

For visitors to Mombasa and the Coast: all has been calm and normal for over a week now but it is recommended to avoid going to the following areas in Mombasa at the present time: Majengo, Tonononka, and Bondeni. Sporadic demonstrations had occurred previously in these areas. Mombasa is an island and not a beach resort and the areas mentioned can be avoided by tourist vehicles transferring from the airport to the beach resorts on the north and south mainland.

Political developments
Talks are expected to continue today in Nairobi between the political leadership of both sides with Kofi Annan mediating.

Jake Grieves-Cook
Spokesman
Kenya Tourism Federation

Wednesday 30th January 2008 5 p.m.

Nairobi: The situation within the city of Nairobi was all calm and normal today. The highways between the airports and to all the international Nairobi hotels remained open as usual. However on one of the outer exit roads beyond Nairobi at Kikuyu town and adjacent villages there were some disturbances and inter-ethnic clashes. The police moved in quickly to quell these disturbances and to restore order. There were no reports of any tourist vehicles being affected and tour operators have been avoiding this stretch of road today.

Tourist areas:

The main tourist areas at the beach resorts and the safari circuit continue to receive international tourist visitors as usual and the current situation is as follows:

Mombasa and coast: there are no problems at any of the beach resorts and the roads between Malindi, Watamu, Kilifi, Nyali, Bamburi, Mombasa, Diani, Galu, Msambweni are all open and reported to have no problems. The international airport at Mombasa is operating as normal with both charter flights and daily scheduled services flying in and there is no problem with access to the airport on the roads from the north and south of Mombasa. The ferry at Likoni is operating as normal for tourists travelling to the south coast.

Safaris: all the national parks and wildlife reserves are operating as normal with most camps and lodges open for business. The roads linking the parks and reserves are all open and conditions are normal with the exception of roads through Naivasha town (see below). For tourist vehicles travelling by road to the Mara, the road passing Narok town is a stretch of approximately 4 kms and is now being monitored by a permanent security patrol to ensure that there are no problems for tourist vehicles. For the past week tourist vehicles have been driving along this route from Nairobi to the Mara daily without any problem and latest reports indicate that the road is open and that traffic is moving freely. The route to the Mara is south from Narok and drivers do not need to drive north to Bomet which is within the area recommended as off-limits to tourists (see below).

Areas to avoid
The Kenya Tourism Federation continues to monitor the security situation to ensure that any areas considered unsafe for tourists are avoided. While the beach resorts, the safari circuit, the airports in Nairobi and the highways between them to the Nairobi international hotels are considered safe for visitors at the present time, the following areas are off-limits for tourists until further notice:

Naivasha and Nakuru
Following the recent clashes between rival groups in and around Naivasha and Nakuru, the roads have been open to traffic for the past two days and the police have restored order. However the Kenya Tourism Federation recommends that road safaris through Naivasha town and on by road to Lake Nakuru should be suspended for the present time while we monitor the situation and until we can confirm that peace and calm have been fully restored once again in the area.

Air safaris may continue to Lake Nakuru National Park using the airstrip in the park. The Warden of Lake Nakuru National Park has confirmed that all is calm within the park and that tourist visitors have not been affected by the clashes beyond Nakuru. Lake Nakuru Park remains secure and safe for visitors with KWS rangers on duty.

Western Kenya, areas off-limits for tourists: In addition to Naivasha and Nakuru, the Kenya Tourism Federation continues to recommend that for the time being visitors should avoid the following areas where there have been sporadic incidents of civil unrest in recent weeks: Nyanza Province, Western Province, and the western area of Rift Valley Province including roads to the north of Narok to Bomet, Sotik and Njoro, the areas surrounding Kericho, Molo, Londiani, Nandi Hills and Eldoret. These places are not normally visited by tourists and members of the Kenya Association of Tour Operators have avoided these areas since the onset of the post-election problems. Currently the situation in these areas is reported to be calm.

For visitors to Nairobi it is recommended that the high density housing estates and slums should be avoided, including Eastleigh, Mathare, Huruma, and Kibera but tourists have always been advised to keep away from these areas.

For visitors to the Coast it is recommended to avoid going into Mombasa “town” at the present time including the areas of Majengo, Tonononka, and Bondeni as some sporadic demonstrations had occurred previously in this area although all has been calm and normal for over a week now. Mombasa is an island and not a beach resort and the areas mentioned can be avoided by tourist vehicles transferring from the airport to the beach resorts on the north and south mainland.

Political developments
Talks continued today in Nairobi between the political leadership of both sides with Kofi Annan mediating. Members of Parliament are heading back to their constituencies to urge their supporters to shun violence and to support the restoration of peace and calm in any areas where there have been disturbances in the past few weeks.

Other news:

Nairobi National Park is very green at the moment and has good grazing for herbivores following some recent rainfall in an area of the park where there had been grass fires a few weeks ago. A pride of 16 lions is being seen regularly by visitors including a lioness with young cubs. Cheetah and black rhino are also being seen frequently. A visit to the park is recommended for visitors staying in Nairobi’s hotels.

Jake Grieves-Cook
Spokesman
Kenya Tourism Federation

Tuesday 29th January 2008 11 p.m.

Nairobi: In the early hours of this morning an ODM opposition party Member of Parliament, Mr Mugabe Were was shot dead outside his house in Nairobi by unknown assailants. Crowds of supporters gathered outside his home during the morning to express their grief and were dispersed by police using teargas. This developed into more violent protests along Ngong Road away from the centre of Nairobi and at the housing estate of Kawangware as well as disturbances in the Kibera slums and in Mr Were’s Embakasi constituency. The situation had returned to normal by late afternoon and the centre of Nairobi was not affected while the highways between the airports and Nairobi hotels remained open as usual. President Kibaki has sent his condolences to Mr Were’s family and appealed for the public not to rush to any conclusions on the MP’s killing until police investigations are completed.

Tourist areas:

The main tourist areas at the beach resorts and the safari circuit continue to receive international tourist visitors as usual and the current situation is as follows:

Mombasa and coast: there are no problems at any of the beach resorts and the roads between Malindi, Watamu, Kilifi, Nyali, Bamburi, Mombasa, Diani, Galu, Msambweni are all open and reported to have no problems. The international airport at Mombasa is operating as normal with both charter flights and daily scheduled services flying in and there is no problem with access to the airport on the roads from the north and south of Mombasa. The ferry at Likoni is operating as normal for tourists travelling to the south coast.

Safaris: all the national parks and wildlife reserves are operating as normal with most camps and lodges open for business. The roads linking the parks and reserves are all open and conditions are normal with the exception of roads through Naivasha town (see below). For tourist vehicles travelling by road to the Mara, the road passing Narok town is a stretch of approximately 4 kms and is now being monitored by a permanent security patrol to ensure that there are no problems for tourist vehicles. For the past week tourist vehicles have been driving along this route from Nairobi to the Mara daily without any problem and latest reports indicate that the road is open and that traffic is moving freely. The route to the Mara is south from Narok and drivers do not need to drive north to Bomet which is within the area recommended as off-limits to tourists (see below).

Areas to avoid
The Kenya Tourism Federation continues to monitor the security situation to ensure that any areas considered unsafe for tourists are avoided. While the beach resorts, the safari circuit, the airports in Nairobi and the highways between them to the Nairobi international hotels are considered safe for visitors at the present time, the following areas are off-limits for tourists until further notice:

Naivasha and Nakuru
As reported yesterday, the violent disturbances and clashes between rival groups in and around Naivasha were eventually brought under control by the police and security forces by yesterday afternoon. The roads were opened by police and army so that traffic was able to move in and out of Naivasha today. However tensions in Naivasha and Nakuru remain and the Kenya Tourism Federation recommends that road safaris through Naivasha town and on by road to Lake Nakuru should be suspended for the next few days while we monitor the situation and until we can confirm that peace and calm have been restored once again in the area. However air safaris may continue to Lake Nakuru National Park using the airstrips in the park. The Warden of Lake Nakuru National Park has confirmed that all is calm within the park and that tourist visitors have not been affected by the clashes beyond Nakuru. Lake Nakuru Park remains secure and safe for visitors with KWS rangers on duty.

Western Kenya, areas off-limits for tourists: In addition to Naivasha and Nakuru, the Kenya Tourism Federation continues to recommend that for the time being visitors should avoid the following areas where there have been continuing sporadic incidents of civil unrest: Nyanza Province, Western Province, and the western area of Rift Valley Province including roads to the north of Narok to Bomet, Sotik and Njoro, the areas surrounding Kericho, Molo, Londiani, Nandi Hills and Eldoret. These places are not normally visited by tourists and members of the Kenya Association of Tour Operators have avoided these areas since the onset of the post-election problems.

For visitors to Nairobi it is recommended that the high density housing estates and slums should be avoided, including Eastleigh, Mathare, Huruma, and Kibera but tourists have always been advised to keep away from these areas.

For visitors to the Coast it is recommended to avoid going into Mombasa “town” at the present time including the areas of Majengo, Tonononka, and Bondeni as some sporadic demonstrations had occurred previously in this area although all has been calm and normal for over a week now. Mombasa is an island and not a beach resort and the areas mentioned can be avoided by tourist vehicles transferring from the airport to the beach resorts on the north and south mainland.

Talks between political leadership
Today the talks started in Nairobi between the political leadership of both sides with Kofi Annan mediating. Hopes are high that the talks will lead to a resolution of the political crisis and Mr Annan expressed optimism that this could be achieved within four weeks.

Jake Grieves-Cook
Spokesman
Kenya Tourism Federation

Monday 28th January 2008 9 p.m.

Tourist areas:

The main tourist areas at the beach resorts and the safari circuit continue to receive international tourist visitors as usual and the current situation is as follows:

Mombasa and coast: there are no problems at any of the beach resorts and the roads between Malindi, Watamu, Kilifi, Nyali, Bamburi, Mombasa, Diani, Galu, Msambweni are all open and reported to have no problems. The international airport at Mombasa is operating as normal with both charter flights and daily scheduled services flying in and there is no problem with access to the airport on the roads from the north and south of Mombasa. The ferry at Likoni is operating as normal for tourists travelling to the south coast.

Nairobi: the city is calm and all appears now to be back to normal. The airport continues operating as normal and all international hotels are open for business. No problems have been reported in recent days.

Safaris: all the national parks and wildlife reserves are operating as normal with most camps and lodges open for business. The roads linking the parks and reserves are all open and conditions are normal with the exception of roads through Naivasha town (see below). For tourist vehicles travelling by road to the Mara, the road passing Narok town is a stretch of approximately 4 kms and is now being monitored by a permanent security patrol to ensure that there are no problems for tourist vehicles. For the past week tourist vehicles have been driving along this route from Nairobi to the Mara daily without any problem and latest reports indicate that the road is open and that traffic is moving freely. The route to the Mara is south from Narok and drivers do not need to drive north to Bomet which is within the area recommended as off-limits to tourists (see below).

Areas to be avoided by tourist visitors:

Naivasha and Nakuru

As reported yesterday, the violent disturbances and clashes between rival groups in and around Naivasha were eventually brought under control by the police and security forces by yesterday afternoon. The roads were opened by police and army so that traffic was able to move in and out of Naivasha today. However tensions in Naivasha and Nakuru remain and the Kenya Tourism Federation recommends that road safaris through Naivasha town and on by road to Lake Nakuru should be suspended for the next few days while we monitor the situation and until we can confirm that peace and calm have been restored once again in the area. However air safaris may continue to Lake Nakuru National Park using the airstrips in the park. The Warden of Lake Nakuru National Park has confirmed that all is calm within the park and that tourist visitors have not been affected by the clashes beyond Nakuru. Lake Nakuru Park remains secure and safe for visitors with KWS rangers on duty.

Western Kenya, areas off-limits for tourists: In addition to Naivasha and Nakuru, the Kenya Tourism Federation continues to recommend that for the time being visitors should avoid the following areas where there have been continuing sporadic incidents of civil unrest: Nyanza Province, Western Province, and the western area of Rift Valley Province including roads to the north of Narok to Bomet, Sotik and Njoro, the areas surrounding Kericho, Molo, Londiani, Nandi Hills and Eldoret. These places are not normally visited by tourists and members of the Kenya Association of Tour Operators have avoided these areas since the onset of the post-election problems.

For visitors to Nairobi it is recommended that the high density housing estates and slums should be avoided, including Eastleigh, Mathare, Huruma and Kibera but tourists have always been advised to keep away from these areas.

For visitors to the Coast it is recommended to avoid going into Mombasa “town” at the present time including the areas of Majengo, Tonononka, and Bondeni as some sporadic demonstrations have occurred previously in this area. Mombasa is an island and not a beach resort and the areas mentioned can be avoided by tourist vehicles transferring from the airport to the beach resorts on the north and south mainland.

Jake Grieves-Cook
Spokesman
Kenya Tourism Federation

Saturday 26th January 2008: Kenya Security Update: 4 p.m.

Nairobi, Mombasa and coastal areas, National Parks and wildlife reserves were reported all to be calm today with tourism operating as usual and all roads open with traffic moving as normal. Tourists now in Kenya staying in Nairobi hotels, at the coastal beach resorts and on safari in the country’s parks and reserves have not experienced problems and are continuing with their holidays as usual.

In Rift Valley Province yesterday there were serious inter-ethnic clashes between rival communities in the area between the outskirts of Nakuru and on to Molo with sections of the housing estates outside Nakuru town being burnt and at least twenty people in the area reported to have been killed. The police, the paramilitary service and Kenya Army moved into Nakuru yesterday and restored order. A curfew was imposed last night by the government in Nakuru town and its environs and today the town is reported to be quiet with police maintaining a heavy security presence. Police are patrolling the highway north to Eldoret to ensure security for vehicles travelling on this road. However the area beyond Nakuru towards Eldoret has already been off-limits to tourists for the past three weeks on the
recommendation of the Kenya Tourism Federation.

The Warden of Lake Nakuru National Park has confirmed that all is calm within the park and that tourist visitors have not been affected by the clashes beyond Nakuru. For the time being it is recommended by the Kenya Tourism Federation that visitors should access and exit Lake Nakuru
National Park via the Lanet or Nderit gates to avoid driving through Nakuru town, until the situation has returned completely to normal. Kenya Wildlife Service Rangers are on duty within the park to ensure the security of visitors. The KWS Lanet Gate is located about 4 kms before reaching the southern outskirts of Nakuru town and the road up to Lanet is reported to be open to traffic as usual.

The Kenya Tourism Federation continues to recommend that for the time being visitors should avoid the following areas:
Nyanza Province, Western Province, and the western area of Rift Valley Province including roads to the north of Narok to Bomet, Sotik and Njoro, the areas surrounding Kericho, Molo, Londiani, Nandi Hills and Eldoret. These places are not normally visited by most tourists and members of the Kenya Association of Tour Operators have avoided these areas since the onset of the post-election problems.

For visitors to Nairobi it is recommended that the high density housing estates and slums should be avoided, including Eastleigh, Mathare, Huruma and Kibera but tourists have always been advised to keep away from these areas.

For visitors to the Coast it is recommended to avoid going into Mombasa “old town” at the present time as some sporadic demonstrations have occurred previously in this area. Mombasa is an island and not a beach resort and the “old town” area can be avoided by tourist vehicles transferring from the airport to the beach resorts on the north and south mainland.

For tourist vehicles travelling to the Mara, the road passing Narok town is a stretch of approximately 4 kms and is now being monitored by a permanent security patrol to ensure that there are no problems for tourist vehicles. For the past week tourist vehicles have been driving along this route from Nairobi to the Mara daily without a problem and it is reported that the road is open and that traffic is moving freely. The route to the Mara is south from Narok and drivers do not need to drive north to Bomet
which is within the area recommended as off-limits to tourists.

The town of Nakuru should also be avoided but at the present time Lake Nakuru National Park may be visited with access through KWS Lanet Gate, south of Nakuru town.

At the coast, there are no problems at any of the beach resorts and the roads between Malindi, Watamu, Kilifi, Nyali, Bamburi, Mombasa, Diani, Galu, Msambweni are all open and reported to have no problems. The international airport at Mombasa is operating as normal with both charter flights and daily scheduled services flying in and there is no problem with access to the airport on the roads from the north and south of Mombasa. The ferry at Likoni is operating as normal for tourists travelling to the south coast.

Travel Advisories: The Dutch government and the French government have now revised their Travel Advisories to remove the warning against travel to Kenya as a whole and have instead advised against travel to specific locations in Kenya along similar lines to the US and British advisories.This has been the approach recommended by the Kenya Tourism Federation and it is to be hoped that other governments will soon follow suit.

Kofi Annan is continuing his mediation role between the opposing political leadership and has indicated his intention to stay until a political solution is achieved. Today he has travelled to the areas in the western part of Rift Valley Province where the worst incidents have occurred in his quest to help restore peace and calm.

During the past 3 weeks it is estimated that there have been over 40,000 international tourists in Kenya and we have received no reports of any visitor being harmed as a result of the post-election unrest. In fact we continue to receive numerous positive comments from visitors including this comment yesterday from Brian Jackman, a well-known British travel writer specialising in African safaris: “Thanks for the reassurances which helped us to stick to our decision not to cancel our visit to Kenya. Thank goodness we came. It was better than ever!”

Jake Grieves-Cook
Spokesman
Kenya Tourism Federation

Friday 25th January 2008: Security Update: 2 p.m.

Nairobi, Mombasa and coastal areas, national parks and wildlife reserves were reported all to be calm today with businesses operating as usual and all roads open with normal traffic. Tourists in Nairobi hotels, the coastal beach resorts and on safari in the country’s parks and reserves continue with their holidays as usual.

However in Rift Valley Province there were reports of further serious inter-ethnic clashes between rival communities in the area between the outskirts of Nakuru and on to Molo. The highway north from Nakuru to Eldoret was barricaded by unruly youths earlier this morning. Police and paramilitary General Service Unit (GSU) moved in quickly to bring the situation under control and to stop the violence but it was reported that several people from the local communities were killed. The security forces re-opened the highway to Eldoret and are patrolling the road to escort vehicles moving north from Nakuru.

The Warden of Lake Nakuru National Park has confirmed that all is calm within the park and that tourist visitors have not been affected by the clashes beyond Nakuru. For the time being it is recommended that visitors enter the Lake Nakuru National Park via Lanet or Nderit gates to avoid driving through Nakuru town until the situation has returned to normal. The Kenya Wildlife Service rangers are on duty within the park to ensure the security of visitors.

Kofi Annan is continuing his mediation role and today is expected to meet former President Moi and Nobel laureate Wangari Maathai before continuing to mediate in further meetings between the political leadership of Kenya.

Jake Grieves-Cook
Spokesman
Kenya Tourism Federation

Thursday 24th January 2008: Security Update: 1100 p.m.

Nairobi: There were no reports of any demonstrations or public disturbances in Nairobi today and it was a normal working day with everything operating as usual.

The ODM opposition party announced yesterday that there would not be any further demonstrations while the talks between the political leaders were taking place, mediated by Kofi Annan.

Mombasa and the coastal areas: all calm and quiet with business as usual in Mombasa town and all roads open as normal. Beach resorts were open and operating as usual.

Safaris: There were no problems reported in any of Kenya’s wildlife parks and reserves. All connecting roads were open and safari camps and lodges were operating as usual.
 

As has been the case throughout this month, there were no reports of any problems affecting tourists staying in Nairobi hotels, beach resorts, on safari, or transferring between airports and hotels in Nairobi, Mombasa or Malindi.

Western Kenya: In the western area of Kenya which remains off-limits for tourists, there were reports of a clash between rival groups near the town of Molo with one person killed. No tourists are in that area.

Mediation by Kofi Annan: Following the arrival of Kofi Annan in Nairobi to mediate between the opposing political leadership, the first meeting took place today between the President and the Opposition leader. Both appeared together after this important meeting and shook hands in front of a large group of international media reporters. They declared their commitment to peace and asked their supporters to maintain calm as they continue their newly established dialogue in further meetings. Kofi Annan expressed his belief that the first steps have now been taken towards a peaceful solution of the problem and said that both sides had underlined their wish to work together for a just and sustainable peace.

Travel Advisories: Following the lifting of the British Travel Advisory last week, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also revised its travel advice to allow travel to Kenya with the exception of some specific areas in Western parts of Kenya as well as the slums outside Nairobi.

Jake Grieves-Cook
Spokesman
Kenya Tourism Federation

Wednesday 23rd January 2008: Security Update: 11.00 p.m.

Nairobi: The ODM leadership and a large gathering of supporters attended a funeral on Ngong Road outside central Nairobi early this afternoon. Police fired teargas into the gathering, sparking off a furious reaction from many in the crowd. They fought back with police and then set fire to a government building and cars parked outside. The fires were put out and the crowds were dispersed by police. In the slum areas outside Nairobi it was reported that there were some inter-tribal clashes with at least one person reported killed at Kariobangi estate. No tourists were reported to be in the vicinity of this demonstration. The airports in Nairobi operated as normal and all roads were open as usual. All Nairobi hotels were open for business as usual.

Mombasa and the coastal areas: all calm and quiet with business as usual in Mombasa town and all roads open as normal. Beach resorts were open and operating as usual.

No problems were reported in any of the wildlife parks and reserves, with all tourist routes open for traffic as normal to all the leading parks and reserves including the Mara, Lake Nakuru, Aberdares, Laikipia, Samburu, Meru, Mt Kenya, Amboseli, Tsavo, Shimba Hills and the community wildlife conservancies. Camps and lodges were open for business as usual.

Once again there were no reports of any problems affecting tourists staying in Nairobi hotels, beach resorts, on safari, or transferring between airports and hotels.

Kofi Annan arrived today and has started his meetings with the political leadership as a mediator between both sides. The ODM leadership announced today that demonstrations planned for tomorrow were being called off to give an opportunity for meetings with Kofi Annan without any disturbance.

Jake Grieves-Cook
Spokesman
Kenya Tourism Federation

Tuesday 22nd January 2008: Security Update: 6.00 p.m.

Today Nairobi was calm and all was operating as normal, apart from an incident this morning when a small crowd gathered in the city centre and attempted to hold a demonstration in support of the President. This was quickly dispersed by the police and all quickly returned to normal. There were no reports of any injuries and no tourists were reported to be in the vicinity of this demonstration. No problems were reported today in the Nairobi slums. The airports operated as normal and all roads were open as usual.

Mombasa and the coastal areas: all calm and quiet with business as usual in Mombasa town and all roads open as normal.

No problems were reported in any of the wildlife parks and reserves, with all tourist routes open for traffic as normal to all the leading parks and reserves including the Mara, Lake Nakuru, Aberdares, Laikipia, Samburu, Meru, Mt Kenya, Amboseli, Tsavo, Shimba Hills and the community wildlife conservancies.

Once again there were no reports of any problems affecting tourists staying in Nairobi hotels, beach resorts, on safari, or transferring between airports and hotels.

The scenes of violent demonstrations and confrontations with police which have been frequently screened on international TV networks during the last fortnight have been sporadic and isolated, confined to certain parts of Kenya, and have not occurred across the whole country. They have largely taken place in some of Nairobi’s slums and areas of Western Kenya around Kisumu-Kericho-Eldoret which are not often visited by tourists. These areas are at present off-limits for tourists and have been avoided by tour operators since the onset of the post-election crisis. The tourist beach resorts and wildlife parks have been unaffected and tourists continue to visit these areas without a problem.

The arrival of Kofi Annan is expected today and it is hoped that he will be able to assist as a mediator between both sides in the current political impasse to achieve an early settlement.

The British Travel Advisory was amended on Saturday so that it is no longer a blanket “non-essential travel” warning against the whole of Kenya and applies only to specific locations, in line with our own recommendations, and on similar lines to the US and German government advisories.

Jake Grieves-Cook
Spokesman
Kenya Tourism Federation

Monday 21st January 2008: Security Update: 6.00 p.m.

Today all was calm across Nairobi including the central business district and no problems were reported today in the slums. The airports operated as normal and all roads were open as usual.

Mombasa and the coastal areas: all calm and quiet with business as usual in Mombasa town and all roads open as normal.

No problems were reported in any of the wildlife parks and reserves, with all tourist routes open for traffic as normal.

The town of Narok, which is on the route from Nairobi to the Mara, and where there were two days of demonstrations last week, is reported now to be calm with all shops and businesses open today as normal.

Once again there were no reports of any problems affecting tourists staying in Nairobi hotels, beach resorts, on safari, or transferring between airports and hotels. This has been the case throughout the whole post-election period.

The areas of Western Kenya around Kisumu-Kericho-Eldoret are still off-limits for tourists and there have been reports of continued isolated inter-ethnic clashes in this region. This area has been avoided by tour operators since onset of the post-election crisis and this part of the country is not normally visited by tourists in any case.

Kofi Annan is expected to arrive tomorrow and expectations are high that his role as mediator will help both sides to achieve a reconciliation, reflecting the wish of the overwhelming majority of Kenyans whose greatest desire is to see peace and calm restored throughout the country.

The British Travel Advisory was amended on Saturday so that it is no longer a blanket “non-essential travel” warning against the whole of Kenya and applies only to specific locations, in line with our own recommendations, and on similar lines to the US and German government advisories. This should result in more visitors being able to travel to Kenya in the weeks ahead.

Jake Grieves-Cook
Spokesman
Kenya Tourism Federation

Sunday 20th January 2008: Security Update: 10.00 p.m.

Those areas of the country which had previously experienced unrest were reported to be generally calm today but in two of the slum areas of Nairobi, in Mathare and Huruma estates, there were further outbreaks of violence and five people were killed in inter-ethnic fighting, with police attempting to prevent the clashes and eventually restoring order. Police were able to bring the situation under control without using live ammunition.

The city centre of Nairobi and the highways between airports and international hotels were all reported to be open with traffic moving as normal.

There were no reports today of any problems affecting tourists staying in Nairobi hotels, at coastal beach resorts or on safari.

The European Union Commissioner, Mr Louis Michel, is in Kenya to help in seeking a solution to the crisis and held separate meetings with the President and the leader of the opposition. He expressed his confidence that talks would soon result in a political reconciliation. Both sides have appealed to their supporters to avoid violence. Kofi Annan is expected to arrive on Tuesday to assist in mediation between the opposing political leadership. There were numerous calls by religious leaders at church services today for peace and reconciliation and growing calls for a power-sharing solution to end the current political crisis.

Jake Grieves-Cook
Spokesman
Kenya Tourism Federation

Saturday 19th January 2008: Security Update: 4.00 p.m.

Following the announcement yesterday by the ODM opposition party that they had called off any further street protests, calm has returned to those areas in Kenya which had experienced demonstrations in the previous three days.

All the tourist resorts and the wildlife parks were unaffected and continued to operate as normal. The routes connecting the parks are also open and all is calm with traffic moving as normal. The route to the Mara which was affected by demonstrations at Narok in the last two days is open and calm and tourist vehicles have driven on this route today with no sign of any problem.

As a result of the ending of the street protests, the British government issued a revised Travel Advisory today, removing the blanket “non-essential travel” advice against visiting Kenya so British visitors coming to Kenya are now covered by their travel insurance.

Over the last two weeks the Kenya Tourism Federation has been consistently advising that the main tourist areas have not experienced problems affecting foreign visitors but that certain places should be considered off-limits for tourists at the present time such as the slums around Nairobi and the Kisumu-Kericho-Eldoret area of Western Kenya. The revised British government travel advice takes the same approach, warning against travel to specific areas of Kenya. These are Western Kenya including Kisumu, and parts of Rift Valley province including Kericho and Eldoret.  At the coast the British Travel Advisory indicates that Mombasa town should be avoided.

We can confirm that the areas mentioned in Western Kenya are already being avoided by Kenyan tour operators. In Nairobi the airports and the main highways to the hotels are secure and open so that tourist vehicles are able to transfer between the airports and hotels without a problem.

At the coast, the routes between the airports and the beach resorts are open and secure and have continued to have tourist traffic daily without any problem throughout the last two weeks. Mombasa town is on the island of Mombasa and is not a beach resort but mainly a commercial area with shops and offices. The beach resorts on the mainland north and south of Mombasa including Msambweni, Galu, Diani, Bamburi, Nyali, Shanzu, Kikambala, Kilifi and on to Watamu, Malindi and Lamu are all calm and the highways linking them are all open and secure. Tourists have been staying at the beach resorts throughout the last fortnight without any problems and all have travelled between the airports and their beach hotels without any incidents being reported.

Now that both the USA and the UK have Travel Advisories which allow travel to Kenya, with specific advice to avoid certain areas, we hope that the Travel Advice of other governments will be revised accordingly.

Tourists continue to experience a warm welcome from Kenyans as always and we are receiving very positive comments from the visitors in the country at the moment. It is important for the many thousands of Kenyans who are involved in earning a livelihood from tourism that we continue to receive visitors so that our tourism industry can keep playing an important role contributing to the national economy and creating benefits for the ordinary people of this country. Tourism is also vital if our wildlife parks are to continue conserving some of the world’s last great concentrations of wildlife and endangered species. Although tourism has continued to operate as usual over the last fortnight, we have experienced a big drop in tourist arrivals since the imposition of travel warnings and the subsequent temporary cessation of charter flights into Mombasa. This has caused a decline in occupancies at all our tourist facilities, threatening the future of the tourism industry, but the removal of the non-essential travel warning by the British is a step in the right direction and will mean that tourist arrivals should now start returning to normal.

This is a great time to be on safari in Kenya or enjoying our Indian Ocean beaches!

Jake Grieves-Cook
Spokesman
Kenya Tourism Federation

Friday 18th January 2008: Security Update: 7.00 p.m.

Today was the last day of the three days of mass action on the streets called by the ODM opposition party in Kenya and all street protests have now been called off after today.

The latest reports that we have received are as follows:

Mombasa and coast:

Demonstrations started after the Friday prayers and crowds of demonstrators across Mombasa were involved in skirmishes and confrontations with riot police. Tear gas was fired and police shot in the air to disperse the crowds. It was reported that one person had died and five were injured. By late afternoon calm had been restored. No tourists were caught up in the demonstrations as tour operators ensured that the areas where the demonstrations took place were avoided. The airports operated as normal.

Nairobi:

There were some skirmishes in the city centre as crowds were dispersed by the heavy police presence and it was reported that police had arrested a leader of a group attempting to march.  Once again the slum areas of Nairobi at Kibera and Mathare were reported to have had violent confrontations between demonstrators and police with shots being fired. Reports have not yet been received of any injuries.

The Nairobi airports at Jomo Kenyatta International and Wilson operated as usual with no disruption to flights. A strong police presence ensured that the highways between the Nairobi hotels and the airports were kept open and the Kibera demonstrators did not move beyond the slum area. There were no reports of tourists being inconvenienced or affected by street demonstrations.

Up-country:

Narok: There were reports of further demonstrations in the town today with crowds of opposition supporters confronting police. At least one person was reported to have been killed in fighting between rival groups.

Kisumu: It was reported that the level of disturbances decreased today.

The ODM leadership announced today that they would call off any further street protests from now on. This means that peace and calm should be restored quickly in the areas where violent demonstrations have been taking place over the last three days and it is expected that things will be back to normal soon. The tourism industry has been operating as usual throughout this period and the Kenya Tourism Federation 24 hour Safety & Communication Centre has been monitoring events throughout to ensure that tour operators are able to avoid any areas where demonstrations occur.

Jake Grieves-Cook
Spokesman
Kenya Tourism Federation

Thursday 17th January 2008: Security Update: 7.00 p.m.

As of now the reports we have received from around the country are as follows:

Mombasa and coast:

There were no reports today of any demonstrations or attempts to stage rallies in Mombasa or the coast area and no reports of any confrontations between protesters and police other than small groups holding placards. All remained calm and all roads were open as normal.

Nairobi:

There were some minor skirmishes in the city centre and the Kilimani area of Narobi when crowds were dispersed by the heavy police presence but with no reports of any injuries.  Traffic continued as normal in Nairobi including buses and public commuter minibuses (matatus).

The situation was different in the slum areas of Nairobi at Kibera, Kariobangi and Mathare where there were reports once again today of violent confrontations between demonstrators and police with shots being fired. Reports have not yet been received of any injuries.

The Nairobi airports at Jomo Kenyatta International and Wilson operated as normal with no disruption to flights. A strong police presence ensured that the highways between the Nairobi hotels and the airports were kept open and the Kibera demonstrations were prevented from moving beyond the slum area.

Up-country:

Narok: There were reports of demonstrations in the town and barricades being erected and fires lit by demonstrators confronting police. A number of tourist vehicles drove through Narok and were aware of the gathering protesters but there were no reports of any incidents involving tourists. The Kenya Tourism Federation Safety & Communications Centre is monitoring the situation along the route to Narok to ensure that safari operators are kept informed.

Kisumu: Once again there were violent confrontations between demonstrators and riot police.

Eldoret: in the afternoon a large crowd were involved in a demonstration in the town centre which became violent and was broken up and dispersed by police who fired shots in the air.

The Kisumu – Eldoret area in Western Kenya remains off-limits for tourists but there were no reports of any incidents affecting tourists at the coastal beach resorts, the international airports, or the wildlife parks.

Jake Grieves-Cook
Spokesman
Kenya Tourism Federation

Wednesday 16th January 2008: Security Update: 6.00 p.m.

Yesterday saw the opening of the Kenya Parliament after the elections and this took place without any public disturbance. There was a strong police presence around parliament to ensure there was no disorder and the authorities decided not to close the Uhuru Highway so tourist traffic continued as normal past Parliament for airport transfers and for safaris departing or driving through Nairobi.

In Parliament it was noteworthy that the opposition had a majority: 105 seats to 102. This means the opposition should now be able to pursue their interests in Parliament rather than on the streets.

The main opposition party, ODM, had announced that they would hold rallies in different parts of the country today and on Thursday and Friday this week but issued assurances that that these are intended to be peaceful.

In Nairobi and in Mombasa today a number of separate groups of peaceful protesters attempted to assemble in different parts of both cities in response to the call for rallies. The police fired tear gas canisters and chased the marchers away. They attempted to re-group but were quickly dispersed after several minor skirmishes with the police and with no reports of any serious violence taking place. There were no reports of live ammunition being fired.

It is reported that a much more serious demonstration took place this afternoon in the Kibera slum in Nairobi where violent confrontations took place between large crowds of demonstrators and police. Live ammunition was fired and tear gas was used by the police who prevented the violent protests from spreading beyond Kibera. There were unconfirmed reports that three people were shot and injured.

In Kisumu it is reported that there were also violent confrontations between police and large crowds of demonstrators which were dispersed by the police using tear gas and firing live bullets into the air but at this stage we do not have further details although there are unconfirmed reports that two people were killed. In Eldoret demonstrators are reported to have been dispersed by police without violence or injuries. It should be noted that the Kisumu-Kericho-Eldoret  area is considered off-limits for tourists and is being avoided by tour operators.

The security situation continues as before with no tourists affected at the beach resorts, in the international Nairobi hotels or in the wildlife parks and any violent confrontations between protesters and police confined to the slums and to places in Western Kenya far away from the areas currently visited by tourists.

Jake Grieves-Cook
KTF Spokesman

Tuesday 15^th January 2008: Security Update: 5.00 p.m.

The situation in Nairobi and Mombasa was normal today, with no problems or incidents affecting tourists reported today as at 5 pm this afternoon.

In Nairobi, Parliament re-opened and is currently in session. Although there was a heavy police presence around Parliament, the authorities decided not to close the Uhuru Highway so tourist traffic continued as normal for airport transfers and for safaris departing or driving through Nairobi.

There were no reports of any problems in any of the wildlife reserves and national parks or on the access routes to and from these areas.

The main opposition party, ODM, has confirmed that they will hold rallies in different parts of the country tomorrow and on Thursday and Friday this week but have issued assurances that that these are intended to be peaceful. The government has banned these rallies and it is likely that the police will be present to disperse any crowds. The Kenya Tourism Federation will be monitoring the situation and will advise all members of the Kenya Association of Tour Operators if detours need to be made to avoid taking tourists near any areas where demonstrations or rallies are taking place.

Jake Grieves-Cook
KTF Spokesman

Monday 14^th January 2008: Security Update: 3.00 p.m.

Yesterday was another calm and normal day in Nairobi and Mombasa with no problems or incidents reported. Once again there were no reports of any insecurity or problems affecting tourists in any of Kenya’s parks and reserves or on any of the roads connecting them.

Today continues to be a normal day in Nairobi, Mombasa and the wildlife parks and reserves, with no reports of any problems in any of these areas or the connecting roads.

Schools re-opened throughout most of Kenya today – a further indication of normality returning.

Parliament will be opening tomorrow and there may be some closures of roads during the ceremony while a strengthened police presence is to be expected. The Kenya Tourism Federation will be monitoring the situation tomorrow in order to keep local tour operators informed in case detours are required to avoid delays for clients on airport transfers.

In view of the continuing calm in the areas frequented by tourists, we hope that those governments which placed blanket travel advisories on Kenya will be revising them without further delay and we have received some positive indications that, if the present situation of calm is maintained, then the advisories will be re-worded. The US government has not placed a “non-essential travel” warning on the whole of Kenya but has indicated those places to be avoided (in the Kisumu-Kericho-Eldoret areas) and it is to be hoped that the other countries will follow this approach.

Jake Grieves-Cook
KTF Spokesman

Saturday 12 January 2008: Security Update 10.00 p.m.

Today was another normal day in Nairobi and Mombasa with no problems or incidents reported.

There were no reports of any insecurity or problems affecting tourists in any of Kenya’s parks and reserves or on any of the roads connecting them.

There were no reports today of any demonstrations or violent disturbances elsewhere in the country but inter-ethnic tensions remain in the area around Kericho in the Western corner of Kenya, which on the advice of the Kenya Tourism Federation remains off-limits to tourists.

The main opposition party has confirmed that they will hold rallies in different parts of the country on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday next week but have issued assurances that that these are intended to be peaceful.

Jake Grieves-Cook
KTF Spokesman

Friday 11 January 2008: Security Update 10.30 p.m.

Today was another entirely normal day in Nairobi and Mombasa with no problems or incidents reported. There were also no reports of any incidents or problems affecting tourists in any of Kenya’s parks and reserves or on any of the roads connecting them.

There were no reports today of any demonstrations or violent disturbances elsewhere in the country.

Talks between the government and the opposition have not been held today as originally planned but both sides confirmed their call to all their supporters to shun violence and to be committed to maintaining peace. Former UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, is expected to arrive in Nairobi next week to assist in seeking a reconciliation between the two parties. Parliament will be opened on Tuesday. The opposition have announced that they will hold peaceful rallies in different parts of the country on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Tour operators will ensure that tourist vehicles avoid any rallies and demonstrations but the organisers have stressed that these are intended to be peaceful assemblies.

Jake Grieves-Cook
KTF Spokesman

Thursday 10 January 2008: Security Update 5.30 p.m.

Once again in Nairobi and Mombasa all is quiet and there has been no change to the situation of calm which has prevailed all week. 

All roads between airports and hotels in Nairobi and Mombasa are open and traffic is flowing as normal. All safari departures took place as usual with no problems reported on any of the roads to the parks and reserves. In Mombasa, City tours are operating once again.

In Nairobi, it was reported that a procession of women heading for a prayer meeting at a church near the Hurlingham area were forced to disperse by police as marches, demonstrations and rallies are not permitted at present. This did not result in any serious disturbance or disruption.

There were no reports of any incidents or problems affecting tourists in any of Kenya’s parks and reserves or on any of the roads connecting them.

There are no reports of any demonstrations in Kisumu today but the advice of the Kenya Tourism Federation is that the Kisumu-Kericho-Eldoret areas should continue to be off-limits for tourists for the time being.

Jake Grieves-Cook
KTF Spokesman

Wednesday 9 January 2008: Security Update 11.00 a.m.

Following the Presidential announcement of the appointment of cabinet ministers yesterday evening there were some concerns that there might be protests and public demonstrations from opposition supporters. However in Nairobi and Mombasa all is quiet and there has been no change to the situation of calm which has prevailed for the last few days.  There have been no reports of any protests or disturbances in Narobi or Mombasa and all roads between airports and hotels are open and traffic is flowing as normal. All safari departures took place as usual with no problems reported on any of the roads to the parks and reserves.

There are reports that there were some demonstrations in Kisumu last night but currently the Kisumu-Kericho-Eldoret areas are off-limits for tourists so no visitors are affected.

It is expected that discussions will be taking place between the political leaders over the next few days to attempt to end the political differences. The President of the African Union arrived yesterday to meet both sides in an attempt to assist in settling the differences. Parliament reopens on Tuesday next week and the country is moving back to normality.

A serious issue of concern is the need to support the displaced persons who are being cared for in Red Cross Camps until they can return to their homes or be re-housed. The tourism sector is joining with the business fraternity to provide financial contributions to buy and transport food. There is no food or fuel shortage within Kenya but there have been transport and distribution problems which are now being resolved.

Jake Grieves-Cook
KTF Spokesman

Tuesday 8 January 2008: Security Update 7p.m.

Nairobi

Throughout the day the situation in Nairobi was completely normal, with public transport operating and all offices and banks open as usual.

There were no problems for any tourist vehicles driving through the city and all transfers to and from the airport and to the Nairobi hotels operated as normal.

There were no reports of any incidents affecting tourists anywhere in the city.

Mombasa

Once again all was back to normal and there were no reports of any problems affecting tourists in any of the beach resorts or in Mombasa. All transfers and safaris continue to operate as normal from Mombasa. The British consular representative on the Mombasa south coast has written to express his appreciation of the work of the Tourist Police Unit over the last few days in helping to ensure good security for tourist visitors at the coast.

Parks and Reserves

There were no reports of any problems anywhere in the parks, reserves or tourist routes. All national parks and reserves may be visited by road or air as normal. The daily scheduled services linking all the parks continue to operate as normal.

Western Kenya

Once again there were no reports of any problems in Western Kenya today. However we continue to recommend that the areas around Eldoret, Kericho, Kakamega and Kisumu should remain off-limits to tourists for the time being. However these are not areas normally visited by tourists as part of their safari itinerary. Kenya Airways continue to operate scheduled flights to Kisumu and have also operated a number of ad hoc flights to Eldoret during the last few days.

During the last 24 hrs the German security advisory has been toned down and it is anticipated that other countries will be amending their travel advisories shortly to reflect the fact that calm has been restored.

Jake Grieves-Cook
KTF Spokesman

Monday 7 January 2008: Security Update

Nairobi
Once again there were no security problems at all in Nairobi and it was a normal Monday with busy traffic in the city centre and all offices and banks open as usual.
There were no problems for any tourist vehicles driving through the city, no delays, and all transfers to and from the airport and to the Nairobi hotels operated as normal.
 
Mombasa
Everything is back to normal and there were no problems affecting tourists in any of the beach resorts or in Mombasa. The Likoni ferries are in operation as normal. Some tour operators have now re-introduced City Tours once again into Mombasa and all safaris and excursions out of Mombasa continue as usual. There have been no crowds or demonstrations apart from a small group of youths attempting to hold a peaceful procession at 11 am but who were dispersed by police without any violent confrontation.  All transfers and safaris continue to operate as normal from Mombasa.
 
Parks and Reserves
There were no reports of any problems anywhere in the parks, reserves or tourist routes. All national parks and reserves may be visited by road or air as normal. The daily scheduled services linking all the parks continue to operate as normal.
 
Western Kenya
Although there were no reports of any problems in Western Kenya today, we recommend that the areas beyond Nakuru to Eldoret, Kericho, Kakamega and Kisumu continue to remain off-limits to tourists for the time being. However these are not areas normally visited by tourists as part of their safari itinerary. Kenya Airways continue to operate flights to Kisumu and have added a daily service to Eldoret.
 
Overall there is a feeling that things are quickly getting back to normal and calm has been restored.
 
There is now increased attention being given to people who were displaced by the unrest a week ago. The tourism industry is joining other organisations in supporting the Kenya Red Cross in providing food and shelter – details will be provided shortly. There are adequate stocks of food and fuel in Kenya and transport services have resumed so that deliveries are being made to areas where supplies had been disrupted.
 
The large rallies planned for tomorrow have been cancelled and the political parties now appear to be moving towards negotiation to try to resolve the current political crisis.
 
Throughout the period of civil unrest and even at the height of the problems when there was continual footage of riots on TV, no tourists were harmed in any way in spite of over 30,000 international tourists being in Kenya. The tourism industry ensured that there was close liaison and communication 24 hrs a day to avoid tourists being endangered. Now it appears that tensions are being calmed and that normality has returned. It is vital that travel advisories are softened to allow tourists to visit Kenya to avoid a collapse of tourism which would have a massive negative impact on the economy and the thousands of Kenyans earning a livelihood from tourism. It would be ironic if tourists stopped coming just as the situation returned to normal whereas all hotels were running full when the violent civil unrest took place immediately after the elections.
 
Jake Grieves-Cook
KTF Spokesman

Sunday 6 January 2008: Security Update: 11.45 a.m.

Nairobi:
Last night was quiet in all areas and there are no reports of any incidents in any of the housing estates.
Early morning airport transfers and safari departures all went off well.
This morning all was calm in Nairobi city centre and roads past Uhuru park, and to the airports all open and traffic flowing as normal. There is a continued police presence along the highways. Some tourist vehicles took the opportunity of the calm and quiet Sunday morning to provide a city tour to tourists en route to the airport as they asked to see the city centre.
 
Mombasa:
Mombasa also had a peaceful night. KTF executive committee member, Khalid Shapi reports that he drove across the island and all round Mombasa to assess the situation this morning and all roads were open and life has returned to normal with residents walking peacefully on the streets and no problems.
All tourist transfers took place without any problems and all safaris departed as scheduled. Excursions are operating as normal with daytrips to Kisite Marine National Park, Wasini Island and Shimba Hills Game Reserve.
 
Upcountry:
No problems reported from any of the parks or reserves and all road safaris are operating as normal while air safaris from Wilson to all scheduled stops continue operating today as normal.
 
Hotels, lodges and camps in all the well-known parks and reserves are all operating as normal. Guests staying at Baringo Island Camp report they had a good stay, were content with all services and reports indicate that the road from Nakuru to Baringo is open and can be traversed without any problem.
 
The Molo, Eldoret, Kericho, Kakamega, Kisumu areas which have been the sites of serious civil unrest earlier this week are still receiving continual TV coverage of the incidents in the international media. These areas continue to be off-limits for tourists and tour operators are not taking any tourists to these areas for the time being.
 
 
Jake Grieves-Cook
Spokesman
Kenya Tourism Federation

Saturday 5 January 2008: Security Update: 10.00 p.m.

Nairobi:
Once again there were no incidents today affecting tourists in Nairobi. The roads between JKIA, Wilson and all Nairobi hotels were all open and traffic was moving without hindrance throughout the day. Tourist vehicles were also able to move along Uhuru Highway throughout the day. The police were present along the highway but in reduced numbers today. There was an attempt by small crowds to march to Uhuru Park from the Karen area but the GSU / Police presence prevented access and there were no serious confrontations.
 
All airport transfers took place without any problems. JKIA arrivals were lower than normal as a result of the travel warnings taking effect.
 
There were some skirmishes in the low-income housing estates near Nairobi between residents, and police intervened, with reports indicating that one person was killed but this disturbance was confined to Dandora.
 
Mombasa:
At the coast things continue returning to normal. Shops are open, traffic has resumed driving into the city centre and pavement cafes are all open as usual. Markets were open and were thronged with residents shopping peacefully.
 
All tourist departure transfers last night, early this morning and later throughout the day took place without any problems. There were no charter arrivals from UK, France or Netherlands but there were some arrivals from Germany and Italy and also from Eastern Europe (Czech Republic, Poland).
 
The ODM leaders attempted to hold a march around 1pm but this was quickly dispersed by the heavy police presence and the leaders then went to Makupa police station to present a letter. This did not cause any disruption to tourists since the tour operators are not running city tours for the time being but road safaris and excursions to Shimba Hills, Shimoni, Tsavo, etc continue to operate as normal.
 
 
Upcountry:
There were no problems reported from any of the parks or reserves and all road safaris were operating as normal while air safaris from Wilson to all scheduled stops went ahead as normal.
 
Reports have been received from the Baringo area that some staff in hotels have felt intimidated on tribal lines as a result of the clashes in the Eldoret area and decided to move away in the interests of their own safety to Nakuru.
 
The Molo, Eldoret, Kericho, Kakamega, Kisumu areas have been the sites of serious civil unrest earlier this week, receiving continual TV coverage of the incidents in the international media, and continue to be tense with reports today of some incidents of arson. These areas are not suitable for tourist visitation and continue to be absolutely off-limits for tourists. No tour operators have been running tours to these areas since the unrest started last week. The roads to Eldoret have been blocked by mobs and the transport system in this area has broken down but the army has been in the area, clearing and re-opening the roads.
 
Jake Grieves-Cook
KTF Spokesman

Friday 4 January 2008: Security Update: 6:00 p.m.

Today there were no reports received by KTF from Mombasa, Up-country or Nairobi of any violent incidents.
 
All transfers between hotels and airport and safari departures by road from Mombasa and Nairobi took place without any problems.
 
It is reported that Wilson Airport has aviation fuel once again and diesel is now available again in Narok.
 
Today offices, banks and shops were open and public transport was operating so staff were able to make their way to work.
 
The shopping malls in Nairobi and Mombasa such as Village Market, Sarit Centre or Nakumatt were packed with people shopping and eating in the restaurants and food courts, giving an impression that things in the cities are now returning to normal.
 
Tourists who have been in the country over the last week have not been affected by the disturbances as these have taken place largely in places not frequented by tourist visitors. Very few tourists currently in the country have decided to cancel their holidays and the vast majority have opted to complete their stay and have been very content with their visit to Kenya.
 
Jake Grieves-Cook
Spokesman, Kenya Tourism Federation

Wednesday 2 January 2008: Security Update

Mombasa
The situation in Mombasa and along the coast is calm and things seem to be returning to normal on the streets in Mombasa.
 
The Resident Manager of a leading international tour operator based in Mombasa gave details of the situation on the ground as follows:
“FYI there were no signs of trouble when I drove to Mombasa airport yesterday morning when our transfer buses arrived.  On the drive back to our office in Mombasa around lunchtime, I was heartened to see kiosk owners had opened up and were selling basic foodstuffs and people were venturing out on the streets again – including families and children.  By the time I went home in the afternoon a few matatus had started operating and although things were still very quiet at least there was no trouble.   This morning, a few more kiosks have opened and there is more traffic on the roads although things are still quiet.   People are moving around more freely and in town last night, the madafu sellers were out on the streets and people appeared to be trying to get their lives back to some semblance of normality! Delighted to report that all clients who left on the charter yesterday confirmed that they had had a great holiday! “

I also had a report from a leading Mombasa based tour company which indicated that they moved 100 people today in 28 different vehicles between the beach hotels and the Mombasa airport without any problem. In fact they have seen no incidents affecting tourists on the route between the airport and the beach hotels since the elections.
 
My daughter drove in a saloon car this afternoon from Diani on the south coast past Tiwi and Likoni to Mombasa Airport and told me that all appeared as normal and calm and there was no sign of any problem on the route.  
 
The riots which took place in Mombasa after the announcement of the election results were fairly isolated and occurred in the Likoni area and some of the high density housing estates and slum areas. These demonstrations appear to have ended and there is a strong police presence along the main tourist routes so that order is maintained. The reports from all the tourists staying in the beach hotels is that they were not affected and they all wished to complete their stay in Kenya. The reports we have received from the ground today all indicate that all is calm and there have been no reports of any incidents.
 
Nairobi
The situation in Nairobi is also calm and transfers have been operating between JKIA and Wilson airports to Nairobi hotels without any problems. All my drivers have reported that the roads were normal but with a heavy police presence along the main highway. The police were ensuring that all tourist vehicles proceeded without a problem but were diverting some of the other traffic away from the city centre, public buses, matatus etc. We have had clients arriving and leaving between 0600 this morning and 2000 tonight with absolutely no signs of any unrest or insecurity.
 
The riots which took place in Nairobi over the last few days were all over by yesterday morning and were confined to various housing estates and slum areas. There was some rioting last night in the Huruma low-income housing estate but this was contained by the police and was confined to this area. Today offices re-opened and people were back at work. Nairobi gave the impression of returning to normal.
 
Safari: Parks & Reserves
No security problems have been reported in any of the parks or reserves and all safaris are operating as normal.
 
Up-country
We have heard no further reports of any violent incidents in other areas but it is considered that Kericho, Eldoret and Kisumu should be avoided for the time being as there were some cases of killings, destruction of property and looting in some of these areas yesterday. These are not areas normally visited by tourists and are far away from the areas where we take our clients.
 
Other issues

Fuel: There have been reports of fuel shortages in some areas as a result of disruption to supply caused by the insecurity in the previous three days. The Kenya Association of Tour Operators has been in touch with the fuel suppliers and it has been confirmed that there are adequate stocks of fuel available for distribution. Delivery of fuel to most stations especially within urban areas has already started and by this evening more fuel should have been distributed.  Most stations within the cities of Nairobi and Mombasa will have adequate fuel by tomorrow evening.

Negative publicity, Travel Advisories and cancellations: We have been disappointed to see some of the sensational reporting which suggested that a civil war is raging in Kenya and that tourists are stranded here. Nobody is stranded as the airports are open and all the flights are operating as normal. Very few tourists have opted to leave early and the overwhelming majority have only been aware of the problems by watching international TV! We in Kenya all understand and appreciate the concerns of the international media and potential tourist visitors especially when killings and riots have taken place but we can report that here on the ground in Nairobi and Mombasa as of today all was quiet and apparently returning to a semblance of normality.
 
Jake Grieves-Cook
KTF Spokesman

The outcome of the recently concluded General Elections has led to violent demonstrations in many parts of the country since 30th December between crowds of demonstrators and the Police as well as violent clashes between supporters of different political groupings. The current situation is as follows:
 
In Nairobi

The disturbances have been largely contained to some of the high density housing estates on the outskirts of Nairobi (e.g. Mathare, Eastleigh, Kibera, Huruma etc). These are areas not normally visited by tourists and all safari operators should ensure that they avoid these areas until the situation reverts to normal. Today these areas were calm and there were no incidents reported.  The Police have undertaken to keep any further demonstrations away from the City Centre.
 
There is a strong Police presence along all the main roads and highways between the airports and the City hotels and as a result, tourist traffic is moving along these routes without a problem. The main roads and highways linking Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Wilson Airport and the Nairobi city hotels are also all secured and tourist vehicles are able to be driven along these routes as normal.
 
Safaris to the main game parks continue to operate as normal both by air and by road.
 
In Mombasa

The situation is similar in Mombasa with demonstrations also being confined largely to the housing estates and slums. The roads are clear but the Tourist Police Unit in Mombasa is providing an escort service between the hotels and the airport and is monitoring the route to ensure the safety of visitors.
 
Nairobi & Mombasa
There has been no disruption to flights and all scheduled airlines are flying as normal and the airports in Mombasa and Nairobi are operating normally.
 
Up Country
Through the KTF Safety and Communication Centre, the tourism industry had before the start of the electoral process established observer stations in key locations across the country and reports are flowing in to the Centre on a regularly basis. The roads to Tsavo, Amboseli, Nakuru, Laikipia and Samburu are all open and the situation is calm. However the areas beyond Nakuru to Eldoret , Kericho and Kisumu should be avoided as it is in these areas that riots and clashes have been taking place.
 
It is intended to continue to closely monitor the situation in the country and to advise of any significant changes as and when they may arise.
 
Chairman:-
Kenya Tourism Federation
Kenya Association of Tour Operators
Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers
Kenya Association of Travel Agents
Kenya Association of Air Operators
Mombasa and Coast Tourism Association
Kenya Budget Hotels Association
Ecotourism Kenya