Kuwait and Madagascar have joined Saudi Arabia in imposing travel restrictions on passengers arriving from Kenya over the Ebola outbreak..
The three countries have introduced emergency aviation and border measures targeting travellers originating from Kenya, with some requiring a mandatory 21-day period outside the country before entry. Others have directed airlines to block passengers from boarding, widening the country’s diplomatic and public health challenge as more destinations tighten border controls.
On Monday, more than 300 Kenyan jobseekers were repatriated and returned to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport after Saudi Arabian authorities blocked their entry over Ebola-related restrictions.
The restrictions have placed Kenya alongside Uganda, South Sudan and the DRC on designated high-risk lists, even as Nairobi protests the move.
Madagascar introduced immediate entry restrictions for passengers travelling from Kenya, adding the country to its list of territories subject to heightened health precautions.
Aviation circulars circulated to travel partners indicate that airlines operating regional connections have been directed to restrict passenger bookings originating from Kenya unless travellers meet the prescribed public health clearance requirements.
The Indian Ocean island nation had already included the DRC, Uganda and South Sudan among countries subject to heightened precautionary measures.
Kuwait has also tightened its entry requirements through a directive issued by its Directorate General of Civil Aviation, instructing airlines operating flights to Kuwait International Airport to deny boarding to passengers originating from Kenya.
Under the directive, travellers who have departed from Kenya, including those connecting through third countries, are barred from entering Kuwait unless at least 21 days have elapsed since their departure from the country.
The requirement effectively subjects airlines to additional passenger screening, including verification of travel histories to establish whether passengers have spent the required period outside Kenya.
Saudi Arabia has adopted similarly restrictive measures, suspending visa issuance across categories for travellers originating from Kenya.
Its restrictions also cover passengers who have visited or transited through Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan and the DRC within the preceding 21 days.
Saudi citizens have additionally been barred from travelling to Kenya while health surveillance measures remain in place.
The measures are expected to disrupt travel, trade and labour mobility between Kenya and the affected destinations, particularly Saudi Arabia, which is an important destination for Kenyan migrant workers.
The restrictions come amid efforts by Kenyan authorities to contain the outbreak and reassure international partners about the country’s public health response.
Nairobi has maintained that it has taken prompt containment measures, with no new cases reported since October 19, 2026.
Kenya has also stepped up diplomatic engagement with the affected Gulf countries, formally protesting the restrictions imposed by Saudi Arabia and subsequently engaging its diplomatic representatives in Nairobi.
On Friday, October 30, the government lodged a Note Verbale protesting the Saudi measures, arguing that the restrictions were disproportionate to the prevailing health situation and inconsistent with the risk-based approach recommended under international health regulations.
The Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs subsequently held discussions with Saudi Ambassador to Kenya Saad Abdullah Al Nofaia and Kuwait’s Chargé d’Affaires Sami Talal Alenezi, seeking a review and lifting of the restrictions.
The two representatives agreed to convey Nairobi’s concerns to their respective governments and facilitate technical consultations between their health authorities and Kenya’s Ministry of Health.
However, the diplomatic engagement has yet to produce a commitment to lift the restrictions.
With Madagascar now joining Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, Kenya faces a widening list of destinations imposing additional travel requirements over the outbreak, raising the stakes for its efforts to restore confidence in its public health safeguards and protect international travel links.
