March 8, 1996: Kenyans will from today require visas to enter the United Kingdom. The surprise announcement was contained in a statement issued by the British High Commission which said the requirement was a direct reaction to increasing numbers of bogus asylum seekers from Kenya. The new rule takes effect from 3 pm and affects an estimated 40,000 Kenyans who travel to the UK annually. In the past, Kenyans and other members of the Commonwealth were not required to obtain visas while travelling to Britain. The High Commission was at pains to assure Kenyans that the requirement did not in any way affect the cordial ties between the two countries that dates back to the colonial era. It added that the “spurious asylum seekers are costing the British taxpayer a substantial sum and causing delays at ports of entry for genuine travellers. The Commission said that in the first 10 months of 1995, 400 Kenyans claimed asylum on arrival in Britain and a further 825 since November 1995. Visa-seekers queue outside the British High Commission at Bruce house.

Photo|Nation Syndication