Mombasa County Police Commander Peter Kimani has announced new safety measures for beaches in Mombasa ahead of the festive season, including a mandatory clearing of the ocean by 6pm.
Speaking on Wednesday, December 10, he said the measures aim to ensure safe celebrations, especially with the anticipated rise in both local and international visitors.
"When it reaches 6pm, police officers will blow whistles to instruct people to get out of the water so we can prevent incidents caused by high tide and possible drowning. We also have the County Government, KWS, the Kenya Navy and Coast Guard boats on standby," he said.
Kimani added that security agencies have strengthened surveillance and coordination on beaches expected to attract large crowds.
He said several agencies have already been mobilised to ensure beachgoers enjoy themselves without interruptions.
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"At the beaches where we expect large crowds, including local tourists, we have activated the beach management committees, which consist of KWS, general police, tourist police and the Coast Guard, to ensure that people celebrating there are not disturbed by beach boys and hawkers," he added.
Additionally, event organisers have been placed under new guidelines to ensure proper planning and coordination.
He noted that anyone planning to host events must follow notification and permit procedures to allow authorities to prepare adequate security arrangements.
"Those who are planning to hold events should give a three-day notification and also inform the County Government so that they can be issued with a permit, after which we will provide security for those facilities.
"We know many hotels have planned such celebrations, and it is important that we have proper coordinated measures in place," he further said.
This comes a week after the United Kingdom issued a fresh travel warning to its citizens in Kenya, citing increased security risks in several regions.
The advisory, released by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) on Tuesday, December 2, highlights ongoing terrorism threats posed by groups operating from Somalia.
In the updated guidance, the FCDO outlines specific regions where British nationals are advised against all travel, including Mandera County, Tarbaj and Wajir East constituencies in Wajir County, with only Wajir Town exempted.
The restriction also covers parts of Garissa County, excluding Garissa Town, Lagdera, and sections of Balambala located north and west of the main Saka–C81 Road corridor.
In the coastal region, Lamu County is also listed, except for Lamu Island and Manda Island.
The FCDO further warns against all but essential travel to Garissa Town, and parts of Tana River County located north of the river up to Saka, as well as the 15km stretch along the east coast between the Tana and Galana Rivers.
Beyond the regional restrictions, the advisory stresses that no journey can be considered fully risk-free and urges travellers to make use of the safety information provided.
"No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide. You may also find it helpful to see general advice for women travellers; read our guide on disability and travel abroad; see general advice for LGBT+ travellers; read about safety for solo and independent travel; and see advice on volunteering and adventure travel abroad," the advisory read.
The FCDO also advises anyone still planning to travel to Kenya to conduct thorough research of their destinations and secure proper insurance.
"If you choose to travel, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance. Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency," the advisory added.
