By AGGREY MUTAMBO
Kenya is set to take advantage of the Pan-African Parliament
summit in South Africa to lobby for a review of tough visa rules imposed
on Kenyans last year.
Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed told the Nation
on Saturday that she had secured an appointment with key South African
authorities to discuss the issue, following complaints from Kenyans
seeking to travel there.
“The issue of South Africa Visa regime with Kenya will be discussed in Johannesburg on Monday.
“It is something we all want to be resolved amicably as friendly nations often do.
“Many Kenyans have expressed concern over the matter of visa requirements while travelling to South Africa,” she said.
Ms Mohamed Sunday accompanied President Uhuru Kenyatta to South Africa to attend the 6th ordinary session of the African Parliament in Johannesburg.
The Parliament, which is considered as
the legislative body of the African Union, has 245 Members drawn from AU
member states who are elected by their national parliaments.
The current assembly is the third grouping since it was formed and has its headquarters in Midrand, South Africa.
Kenya
is represented by Senators Kipchumba Murkomen and Janet Ongera as well
as Kuresoi MP Zakayo Cheruiyot and Nairobi County Woman Representative
Rachel Shebesh.
A statement from State House said President Kenyatta will also hold talks with his host Jacob Zuma.
Kenya’s
High Commissioner to Pretoria Jean Kamau on Sunday told the Nation the
event will also give an opportunity to Kenya to lobby for the removal of
tough visa rules which have been in place since mid-last year.
“The
issue of new immigration rules is very critical for us as Kenyans
because it has not favoured our citizens who want to travel to South
Africa,” she told the Nation by phone.
“The visit is
about the Pan-African Parliament but part of that will also be an
informal meeting with South African officials. That is an issue that the
Cabinet Secretary will try to resolve.”
IMPOSED SERVICE CHARGE
Last
year, South African imposed tough rules for Kenyans seeking to visit
South Africa, besides imposing an service charge of about Sh6,000 for
applications.
Kenya had initially retaliated with
similar sanctions but suspended them in August after South African
authorities reportedly called for talks.
Those talks, however, never materialised.
Currently, South Africans coming to Kenya do not require a visa if they are on transit or plan to stay for less than 30 days.
Kenyans
visiting South Africa for this period do not pay visa fees but must
part with the service charge, an arrangement Kenyans have protested.
Besides
a service charge, on a ‘free’ visa, South Africans also charge visa
fees of about Sh6,000 to Kenyans wishing to stay longer than 30 days,
meaning a single application to stay for more than 30 days will cost
about Sh12,000.
It is worse for Kenyans because the new
tough rules do not allow visa application from within South African
borders, meaning Kenyans have to return to Kenya to reapply for visa
renewal.
South African authorities argued that the new
restrictions are meant to tame the challenge of migrants who are accused
of taking away local menial jobs.
Last month, mobs of South Africans embarked on beating up foreign Africans in some cities.
The mobs accused foreigners of stealing jobs meant for South Africans.
Daily Nation.
Daily Nation.