The United States Embassy in Nairobi has announced a
suspension of some operations following the shutdown of the US government.
In a notice issued through its Instagram, Facebook and X
accounts, the embassy said it would halt regular updates until full operations
resume.
It said that only urgent safety and security information
will be shared during the shutdown.
“Due to the lapse in appropriations, this Instagram account
will not be updated regularly until full operations resume, with the exception
of urgent safety and security information,” the embassy stated.
The embassy clarified that key services, including passport
processing and visa transit services in the United States as well as at
embassies and consulates abroad, would continue “as the situation permits.”
However, it urged members of the public to seek updates
through the official website, travel.state.gov, for the latest information on
services and operating status.
The shutdown in Washington, which has disrupted federal
funding, has forced many US agencies and foreign missions to scale down their
activities.
The embassy did not specify how long the suspension of
regular updates would last, but emphasized that emergency communications remain
a priority.
This development comes as thousands of US government
employees, both domestic and overseas, face the impact of the funding lapse.
For Kenyans and other foreign nationals seeking US services,
the embassy’s confirmation that passport and visa processing will continue
offers some reassurance, though delays may still be expected depending on how
long the shutdown persists.
This is the first government shutdown since the year 2018-2019.
The Republican-controlled Senate failed to pass a
last-minute government spending bill on Tuesday.
The bill could have averted the shutdown.
The Republicans were pushing to pass a bill to extend
government funding without other initiatives attached - known as a clean CR -
or continuing resolution but they needed additional votes from the democrats in
the Senate to reach the 60 votes threshold.
Republicans have only 53 seats.
This is the fourth time Donald Trump has faced a shutdown.
His first term saw three such instances. This included the longest shutdown in
American history, lasting 35 days.
Before Trump, Bill Clinton held the longest
shutdown record at 21 days. It occurred in 1995, towards the end of his first
term as president.
Former President Barack Obama endured a 16-day shutdown
in 2013 over a proposed health care legislation.
Ronald Reagan, holds the record for the most shutdowns
during his presidency. He oversaw at least eight spread across his two terms in
the 1980s.
