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{
    "id": 1095649,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1095649/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 161,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kikuyu, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1835,
        "legal_name": "Anthony Kimani Ichung'Wah",
        "slug": "anthony-kimani-ichungwah"
    },
    "content": "Hon. Speaker, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order No.44(2)(c), I seek a Statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Defence and Foreign Relations regarding issuance of visas to Kenyans wishing to travel to the People’s Republic of China. It is more than a year since many countries closed their borders to foreign visitors following the COVID-19 outbreak and thereafter issued new entry requirements and policies. In addition, various countries continued to revise their COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control measures from time to time including the rules modulating how foreign visitors enter their countries and under what circumstances. Hon. Speaker, for Kenyans wishing to travel to the People’s Republic of China, one of the many requirements set is a COVID-19 vaccination through presentation of a vaccination certificate. However, despite fulfilling all the other set requirements, many Kenyans wishing to travel for either business or work-related activities continue to be denied an opportunity to travel to the People’s Republic of China on the account of the type of COVID-19 vaccine that they have been vaccinated with locally. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) there are now several COVID-19 vaccines that are in use. At least 13 different vaccines across four platforms have been listed and administered since the mass vaccination programme commenced in early December 2020 across the world. They include, Pfizer S111, Covishield, AstraZeneca AZD1222, Janssen Ad26.COV2.S, Moderna, Johnson and Johnson and Sinovac COVID 19 vaccines. It is against this background that I seek a Statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Defence and Foreign Relations on the following: (i) Why are Kenyans wishing to travel to the People’s Republic of China being denied visas on account of the type of COVID-19 vaccine they have been vaccinated locally which are WHO approved with the insistence by the People’s Republic of China that they must be vaccinated with Chinese vaccines? (ii) Why are Kenyans being denied work permits and business visas to the People’s Republic of China disadvantaging them to the benefit of Chinese middlemen who are getting unfettered access into the Kenyan boundaries? Kenyans have noted that they are now setting up shops in Nairobi and Kenya to come and merchandise the goods they manufacture having cut out the Kenyan businessmen who were trading and importing these goods from China? (iii) I would want to know how many Chinese nationals have visited Kenya on either business or work visas from the advent of the pandemic in March 2020 to date and what work and businesses these Chinese nationals have been permitted to come and conduct in the country. (iv) How many Kenyans in contrast have been issued with visas either for business or work from March 2020 to date to visit the People’s Republic of China? (v) What is the volume of imports brought in specifically by the Chinese businessmen and middlemen into Kenya vis-a-vis imports by Kenyan nationals since March 2020 to date? Thank you, Hon. Speaker."
}