We have been recommending this for months now, despite the fact that several compatriots continue to bring their testimonies, especially through social media, on the fact that they managed to leave anyway: it is advisable to take the PCR swab even when leaving Kenya, and to do so in one of the laboratories affiliated with Africa CDC, the continental body that has created a security system to avoid the release of fictitious results of the same swabs.
Despite the fact that Kenya's directives are still not very clear (but this is nothing new, unfortunately) and that Italy is not yet among the international countries that have shared the 'Trusted Travel' code (if you access the Panabios portal you will find our country in the list of destinations, but it will be impossible to proceed with the request for the restrictions in force between the two countries), it is happening that in Nairobi and partly also in Mombasa, even before entering the airline check-in, the swab is asked for.
This also conflicts with the latest update of the Viaggiare Sicuri website of our Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which indicated on 20 February 2021 that the requirement for the buffer is subject to the decision of individual airlines.
Unfortunately, you cannot rely on this statement in Kenya as proof of your good faith and if you manage to get through the first checkpoint and access the check-in, it will only have been due to a lack of controls by airport staff.
Thus, in recent days, there have been increasing reports of Italian passengers being turned away at the two international airports for lack of buffers. Explanations that their airline had not made the certificate compulsory have been of little use.
We therefore once again recommend that those who have to return to Italy from Kenya should have a swab carried out no later than 72 hours before departure in order to avoid nasty surprises.
Italy should soon be officially included among the countries that have signed the convention on safe tampons, as it should be, and this should remove any doubt.
But even now there should not be any. For such a delicate subject, the swab on entry to and exit from each country should be a due act, not absolute but already indicative enough, out of respect for travellers and staff working on aircraft.
As always, we will soon be able to provide you with rebutted updates that are as close as possible to reality, which, as you know, is changeable and can bring with it inconsistencies and unexpected events, which are often understandable.