- Most of those stranded are workers at the airport and other places sent on paid and unpaid leaves.
- Businessman and politician left Kenya 16 days ago for Tel Aviv, Israel, to purchase a milk pasteurizing machine
At least 15 Kenyans are stranded at the Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar, after they failed to get the flight home.
They cannot get out of the airport as the Qatari government has put the capital, Doha, on lockdown.
The Kenyans, some of who were on transit, have camped at the airport for three days. Among them is a Mombasa businessman-cum-politician, who vied for the Mombasa senatorial seat on a Jubilee ticket in 2017
He told the Star via phone that only a Sudanese cleaner at the airport had been helping him get a place to sleep.
“I am Type 2 diabetic. I need medication but the situation here is hard,” Kassim said on Thursday.
He said he had to hide in a toilet to make the phone call.
He said they have not had any proper meal for three days.
“This is our third day here. We are not supposed to be seen close to each other or even talking to each other. We are like in a prison here. Why won’t our government come to our rescue?” Kassim asked.
The businessman left Kenya 16 days ago for Tel Aviv, Israel, to purchase a milk pasteurizing machine.
He was however told the factories had closed and no transaction could be made. He then flew to Doha where he has been to date.
Kenya has banned all international flights due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Only cargo flights are allowed. This has complicated matters for the Kenyans.
Qatar is not allowing inbound flights.
Gulf nations are reporting a rapidly growing number of infections with over 1,200 cases reported by Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the UAE.
“We do not have food. All shops here are closed. We only get small amounts of food from the cleaners here who empathize with us,” Kassim said.
Most of the Kenyans stranded there are workers at the airport and other places who have been sent on paid and unpaid leave.
The Kenyan government had given citizens and foreigners two days to get back to Kenya before the ban on international flights was effected.
However, Kassim said the two-day notice was too short. “We rushed to book flights but they were all full. The prices had also shot up,” Kassim said.
Citizens of the US, Canada, China and other nations sent planes to evacuate their citizens.
“Why can’t Kenya do the same for us?” Kassim pleaded with President Uhuru Kenyatta.
When Kassim got to the airport where he was to board a Qatar Airlines flight to Nairobi, he was told his flight had been cancelled.
He was given an option to take a flight to Zanzibar then connect to Nairobi but Tanzanian nationals filled the available seats.
“They were given first priority,” said Kassim.
“On Day two at the airport, we were informed that the Kenyan government had refused to allow flights to Kenya. This was four hours to our departure,” said the politician.
The Kenyans have been sleeping in the prayer room at the airport and on the benches.
They appealed to the government to help them get back home.
“We are willing to be taken into quarantine at our own cost. We will also pay for the flight,” said Kassim.
Edited by Henry Makori