US Embassy in Nairobi scales back operations following government shutdown
The embassy encouraged the public to visit the official website, travel.state.gov, for the latest updates on service availability and operational status.
The United States Embassy in Nairobi has announced a temporary reduction of its services after the US government entered a shutdown.
The embassy informed the public on Wednesday through its Instagram, Facebook, and X accounts that regular updates will be paused until full operations resume, although urgent safety and security information will continue to be shared.
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“Due to the lapse in appropriations, this Instagram account will not be updated regularly until full operations resume, with the exception of urgent safety and security information,” the embassy said in a statement.
The embassy said key services, including passport processing and visa transit in the US and at American embassies and consulates abroad, will continue “as the situation permits.”
The embassy encouraged the public to visit the official website, travel.state.gov, for the latest updates on service availability and operational status.
The shutdown, triggered in Washington due to a failure to pass a government spending bill, has affected federal agencies and US missions worldwide.
The Republican-controlled Senate was unable to secure enough votes for a last-minute funding bill that could have prevented the halt.
Republicans sought to pass a clean continuing resolution without additional measures but fell short of the 60 votes needed, holding only 53 seats in the Senate.
This marks the first government shutdown since 2018-2019 and the fourth under former President Donald Trump, whose earlier terms saw three previous shutdowns, including the longest in US history, lasting 35 days.
Historical records show former presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama also experienced lengthy shutdowns of 21 and 16 days, respectively, while Ronald Reagan faced at least eight shutdowns during the 1980s.
For Kenyans and foreign nationals needing US services, the embassy’s reassurance that passport and visa processing continues is critical, though delays are likely depending on the duration of the shutdown.
Emergency communications remain a priority as thousands of US government employees, both domestic and overseas, feel the immediate effects of the funding lapse.
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