Ruto announces resumption of Kenya Airways direct flights to Luanda after 5-year suspension
By Valerian Khakayi, January 8, 2025
President William Ruto has announced the resumption of Kenya Airways direct flights to Angola’s capital city Luanda after a five-year suspension.
In a statement on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, Ruto, welcomed Angola’s decision to work with Kenya in facilitating the national carrier’s direct flight to its capital.
In addition, Ruto disclosed that he had held talks with Angola President João Lourenço in Luanda.
“We welcome Angola’s decision to work with Kenya in facilitating the resumption of Kenya Airways’ direct flights to Luanda from March,” Ruto disclosed.
In August 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Kenya Airways suspended passenger flights from Nairobi to eight African destinations, the destination countries include Luanda (Angola), Bamako (Mali), Brazzaville (Republic of Congo), Mogadishu (Somalia), Khartoum (Sudan), Djibouti, Blantyre (Malawi) and Maputo (Mozambique).
The airline attributed the suspension to its recovery strategy, which includes operating a reduced network as it awaits demand to pick up.
Ruto on Visa
The head of State went on to say that apart from the direct flight, Angola has also reciprocated the waiver of visa requirements for Kenyans visiting the country noting the move will strengthen bilateral ties and expand opportunities for enhanced cooperation and mutual benefits for the two nations.
“Coupled with the reciprocal waiver of visa requirements for Kenyans, this will strengthen bilateral ties and expand opportunities for enhanced cooperation and mutual benefits. Held talks with Angola President João Lourenço in Luanda,” Ruto added.
In October 2023, Ruto announced the waiver of visa requirements for all Angolans with immediate effect a move that aimed to strengthen trade and investment between Kenya and Angola.
“President Lourenço and I agree on the need to ensure the improvement of people-to-people interaction as well as trade and investment between Kenya and Angola. Consequently, Kenya has waived visa requirements for all nationals of Angola with immediate effect, Angolans coming to Kenya will not require a visa,” Ruto said in 2023 during a state visit of President João Lourenço.
With the waiver, Kenya joins a list of fourteen African nations exemption from tourist visas in Angola, the countries include Tanzania, Eswatini, Morocco, Lesotho, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Equatorial Guinea, Botswana, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Seychelles, Cape Verde and Algeria.
We welcome Angola's decision to work with Kenya in facilitating the resumption of Kenya Airways' direct flights to Luanda from March.
— William Samoei Ruto, PhD (@WilliamsRuto) January 8, 2025
Coupled with the reciprocal waiver of visa requirements for Kenyans, this will strengthen bilateral ties and expand opportunities for enhanced… pic.twitter.com/1aqWsrTCW9