CS Kuria Makes Push For Kenya-Indonesia Direct Flights

Trade Cabinet Secretary (CS) Moses Kuria on Friday, July 14 suggested plans for Kenya and Indonesia to introduce direct flights between the two nations.

Speaking during a meeting at State House between President William Ruto and Indonesian investors, the CS lamented the huge amount of time travellers waste going from Nairobi to Jakarta in Indonesia through connecting cities such as Dubai, Doha, and Mumbai in India, among others.

He noted that such journeys would take one over 16 hours, a duration that Kuria believes would be reduced if direct flights were introduced between Nairobi and Jakarta.

The CS further revealed that the government was in discussions with local airlines in Kenya and Indonesia to realise the dream of direct flights between the two countries which would allow travellers an easier path to countries such as Singapore.

"If there was a direct flight, today if you want to go to Jakarta from Nairobi, most likely you go through Bangkok or Dubai. At the very minimum, you take around 15 hours yet if there was a direct flight between Nairobi and Jakarta, it will be a maximum of six hours, so you can cut that journey by nine hours.

"We are of the view that Nairobi-Jakarta-Singapore even from a commercial point of view would make some sense and we are having that discussion with Kenya Airways to enhance the people-to-people, business-to-business that will follow this government-to-government relationship to consider the possibility of having a direct flight from Nairobi to Jakarta to Singapore," said the CS.

He added that such a move would further open up Nairobi as a major travel hub for South East Asian countries as all the Asian countries, save for India, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, China and Thailand connect to Nairobi through other major travel hubs such as Dubai and Doha.

"That can really make Nairobi a major connection point for South East Asia because all the Asian countries who use Nairobi now as a critical connection point, especially from Sub-Saharan Africa," he added.

On his part, President William Ruto seemingly backed Kuria and hinted at plans to add Indonesia to the list of countries that the Kenya Kwanza government has bagged visa-free deals since taking office.

As a matter of fact, the Head of State teased an ongoing debate on whether or not Kenya should have visa restrictions for those visiting from other countries.

"We want to make it easier for people to travel. We want to make it easier for the movement of people, goods, and services by eliminating unnecessary barriers. We will waive visa requirements for Indonesia for everybody, not just for the big guys, even the ordinary people.

"They can come to Kenya without asking for any visa, in fact, we are having a very big debate as Kenyans as to whether we should have Visa at all," Ruto announced, further reiterating Kenya's stance as the cradle of mankind.

On Friday, January 20, 2023, President Ruto met a delegation of Indonesian ministers at State House led by General (Rtd) Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan who was joined by Kenyan CSs.