The U.S. Embassy in Nairobi released a routine Security Alert on August 2 in advance of next week’s Kenyan elections. Alerts of this nature to American citizens are common ahead of elections throughout the world. And the United States has no information to suggest the security situation in Kisumu, or in any other parts of Kenya, have been adversely affected by election preparations. Kisumu hosts a significant number of U.S. Embassy personnel and is a frequent travel destination for American citizens.
Kenya is scheduled to hold elections on August 9, 2022. Campaigning for local and national offices is fully underway. And we all know that Kenya has periodically experienced some pre-electoral violence during election cycles.
Election-related demonstrations and rallies regularly take place in the runup to the election and are likely to continue, at times blocking key intersections and causing traffic jams. Demonstrations may occasionally be violent, requiring police intervention. Strikes and other protest activities related to economic conditions occur regularly,” read the statement in part.
Out of an abundance of caution, the Embassy has imposed movement restrictions on personnel in Kisumu. The State Department reminds U.S. citizens of the continued need for sustained vigilance.
Actions to Take:
- Monitor local media for updates.
- Avoid crowds.
- Avoid demonstrations.
- Keep a low profile.
- Be aware of your surroundings.
- Be vigilant when visiting banks or ATMs.
- Do not display signs of wealth, such as wearing expensive jewelry or watches.
- Review your personal security plans.
- Have travel documents up to date and easily accessible.
- Carry proper identification, including a copy of the bio-page of your U.S. passport with a copy of a current Kenyan visa.