Kenyan passport's status drops slightly in latest Henley Index global ranking
Despite the drop, Kenya's passport remains relatively strong within the African continent, ranking eighth in the region.
Kenya has experienced a slight decline in the Henley Passport Index, dropping from the 67th to the 68th position out of 199 global passports.
The index, which assesses the power of passports based on the number of destinations their holders can access without a visa, noted that Kenyans can travel visa-free to 74 countries, including Zambia, Zimbabwe, Senegal, Singapore, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Philippines.
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However, they still require a visa for 152 destinations, such as Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Libya, the United Kingdom, France, the United States, Germany, and Italy
The drop in ranking comes in the wake of President William Ruto's transformation of Kenya into a visa-free destination in January 2024 to stimulate economic growth.
His administration further introduced the electronic travel authorisation (ETA) on January 5 2024 for all visitors entering Kenya, priced at Sh4,600 or USD30.
"We want to make Kenya a global tourist and business destination, and this step is part of our broader strategy to open up the country," Ruto said.
Despite the drop, Kenya's passport remains relatively strong within the African continent, ranking eighth in the region.
Seychelles leads Africa with a global ranking of 25, followed by Mauritius at 29, South Africa at 48, and Botswana at 57.
Other African nations in the top ten include Lesotho, Malawi, Morocco Namibia, and Tanzania, with varying global rankings between 62 and 69.
Kenya retains its position as the strongest passport in the East African region, reaffirming its regional dominance.
Globally, however, Kenya's passport is far from matching the power of leading nations such as Singapore, Japan, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, South Korea, and Spain, whose citizens enjoy visa-free access to over 190 countries.
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