Northeast Kenya concerns

This item appears on page 17 of the September 2009 issue.

The US Embassy in Nairobi has designated a small portion of Kenya bordering Somalia and Ethiopia as “restricted without prior authorization” for purposes of travel by US government employees. This is based on reports of Somali-based armed groups that have crossed into Kenya to stage attacks or commit crimes. 

This restriction does not apply to people not associated with the US government but should be taken into account when planning travel. The State Department lists the restricted areas.