Please find below the Kenya Tourism Federation’s security update and advice on travel to specific geographical areas within Kenya:KenyaTourism Federation with Kenya Tourist Board Daily Security UpdatesTuesday 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 immediate steps to stop the violence and thereby resolve the immediate crisis within a 15 day time-scale. 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 local 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 avoidThe 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 should not be visited by 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 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 adjoining eco-systems 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 10,397 three years ago. 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 With regards to air travel to, and within Kenya, we can communicate the following:Scheduled airline services to NairobiBritish Airways is still operating their daily schedules as normal from London Heathrow to Nairobi and from Nairobi International Airport to London Heathrow. There have been some revisions to both the Virgin Atlantic Airways timetable (with passengers on occasional flights moved to other dates of travel or carriers) and Kenya Airways which may not operate certain day time flights but will continue to operate their daily evening departures. For details please contact the appropriate carrier. KLM (flying via Amsterdam) advise that there may be certain route changes but its daily departures to Nairobi continue and Swiss services via Zurich and Brussels Airlines via Brussels also continue as normal. All airlines now confirm that their ‘liberal’ reservations policies on Nairobi flights will be extended until February 15th.Update courtesy of: Kenya Tourist Boardwww.foreignaffairs.gov.iewww.fco.gov.uk
