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Keep off ‘hot’ Nairobi, Brits advised


Nairobi is not safe for British nationals according to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Be it from terrorism, kidnappings, muggings and traffic offences, the city is literally ‘hot’ and therefore ‘not safe’ for them.

In the latest travel advisory the British FCO said: “Large scale terrorist attacks cannot be ruled out,” in Nairobi at a time when the country is witnessing small-scale bomb, grenade and improvised explosive device attacks.

“Six British nationals were killed in the September 2013 attack on the Westgate shopping mall in Nairobi. Further attacks can’t be ruled out,” said the travel advisory.

Sports bars

The foreign office advised its citizens to be vigilant in all places because ‘attacks could be indiscriminate’ in places frequently visited by foreigners which include bars, restaurants, sports bars and nightclubs, sporting events, supermarkets, shopping centres, beaches, buses, trains, transport hubs and places of worship including churches and mosques.

“You should take care in public places where people gather, and exercise a heightened level of vigilance,” it read further.

Other targeted places included government offices and law enforcement personnel or facilities and Somali government interests in Kenya.

“Take extra security precautions if you’re travelling to any of these places,” warned FCO.

“There is a high threat from terrorism, including kidnapping. The main threat comes from extremists linked to al Shabaab, a militant group that has carried out attacks in Kenya in response to Kenya’s military intervention in Somalia,” said FCO statement.

And now visitors are advised not to go to some areas in Nairobi unless it is essential. These include Eastleigh and all township and low income areas ‘due to high crime levels’.

The place to be avoided include but are not limited to Kibera, Mathare, Huruma, Mukuru Kwa Njenga, Mukuru Kwa Reuben, Korogocho, Kariobangi, Kangemi, Mwiki and Kawangware.

“The FCO’s advice against all but essential travel to low income areas of Nairobi does not include or affect transit through Nairobi airport,” read the advisory.

It warns against using Jogoo Road and Airport South Road from or to the JKIA and instead directs citizens to use Mombasa Road because of the high risk of car-jacking.

This comes on the heels of other travel advisories by the United States, Australia and France.

More than 500 Britons were evacuated suddenly from the country at the end of last week.

The Kenya Tourism Federation, in its response said the advisories would hurt the economy and condemned the move with the hope that diplomatic talks would lead to the reversal.