British Government did not order the evacuation of its citizens from Kenya,says Christian Turner

The British Government did not order the evacuation of its citizens from Kenya, High Commissioner Christian Turner has said.

Dr Turner added that his government did not issue a travel advisory against the country in the wake of increasing terror attacks which have been witnessed in various parts of the country including Nairobi and Mombasa.

Speaking Wednesday in Konoin Constituency, Bomet County, during a ceremony to launch a solar power project developed by a British company Williamson Tea, Mr Turner instead termed as ‘false’ media reports that Britain had warned its citizens against visiting Kenya over rising insecurity.

He also denied claims that the British government chartered private planes to evacuate its citizens due to terrorism related threats.

“There has been a lot of noise about the security situation but it is not true that the British government evacuated its citizens from Kenya last week or that we are telling people that this country is off limits,” he said.

Mombasa only

According to Dr Turner, Britain only issued a change of travel advisory targeting Mombasa, adding that the same was not intended to touch on any other part of the country.

Dr Turner revealed that his office was in the process of assisting Kenya attract more tourists and investors from Britain.

“Our government is instead more focused on bringing more jobs, businesses and tourists to Kenya. That is my job,” he added.

The High Commissioner broke his silence over the issue for the first time as various local and international media outlets continued to report that hundreds of British nationals on holiday in Kenya were last week evacuated after the British Foreign Office gave warnings of a ‘high threat’ of imminent attacks on the country by religious extremists.