South Africa to Allow Kenyans Visa-Free Entry from January 1

In a historic move, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Kenyan President William Ruto have announced that starting from January 1, 2021, Kenyan citizens will be allowed visa-free entry into South Africa for a maximum of 90 days per year. The announcement was made after the two leaders held talks in Pretoria on Tuesday. The agreement between the two countries is expected to further strengthen the existing diplomatic ties between them. It is also hoped that it will open up new opportunities for trade and investment between Kenya and South Africa. Speaking at a joint press conference following their meeting, President Ramaphosa said that this agreement would help promote people-to-people contact between the two countries and create an environment conducive to increased economic cooperation. He added that he was looking forward to seeing more Kenyan visitors coming to South Africa in 2021. President Ruto expressed his gratitude towards President Ramaphosa for his commitment towards deepening bilateral relations between Kenya and South Africa. He also thanked him for agreeing to grant visa-free entry for Kenyans into South Africa from January 1 next year. The move has been welcomed by many Kenyans who are looking forward to visiting their friends and family in South Africa or exploring business opportunities there without having to go through the tedious process of applying for visas every time they want to travel there. This agreement comes as part of efforts by both countries to boost tourism and economic development in their respective regions. It is expected that this move will lead to an increase in trade flows between Kenya and South Africa as well as an influx of tourists from both sides of the continent who can now explore each other’s countries without having to worry about visa restrictions or lengthy application processes.