Senate Speaker Amason Kingi has pleaded with Western nations, and the Australian government in particular, to withdraw travel advisories against Kenya.
Kingi warned that the advisories were injurious to the country’s tourism sector.
He said the government has in the last 10 years made huge investments in the security sector to address safety concerns.
"It is important that the Australian government reviews the travel advisory against Kenya," Kingi urged.
"We have put in place a lot of measures to curb incidences of terrorism in our country. The Australian government should review its policy on the advisory so that we can receive more of Australian tourists."
Kingi was speaking on Monday when he hosted the Australian Assistant Foreign Minister Tim Witts at his office.
Witts, who is on an official visit to Kenya, had paid a courtesy call to the Speaker to learn about the progress the Senate has made in executing its mandate since the inauguration of the 13th parliament.
While he admitted that Kenya has done a lot to improve security, Witts assured the Speaker that the advisories are under constant review.
"The advisories are always under review," he said, pointing out that there has been a scale-down on the last advisories issued last time.
He added that the security advisory issued by the government of Australia for its citizens not to travel to the coast region has been scaled down.
"We are constantly reflecting on the security situation. We have reviewed the advisory because we want to encourage more of our citizens to visit Kenya as tourists."
"Australians are passionate travellers and I am sure they will return."
Witts remarks come just a week after the British High Commission in Kenya issued a terror threat alert to UK citizens.
The alert shared on its official website references information from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
According to the UK High Commission, terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in Kenya.
And on February 9, 2023, the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya published a security alert for high-traffic areas frequented by foreigners and tourists.
The Embassy said locations frequented by U.S. citizens and other foreigners and tourists in Nairobi and elsewhere in Kenya continue to be attractive targets for civil unrest.
