Lifestyle
Kenyan Passport Remains Most Powerful In East Africa but Slips in Global Rankings
Tanzania follows closely at 70th position with visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 70 destinations, while Uganda ranks 71st with 67 destinations.
NAIROBI, Kenya, Sept 13 – The Kenyan passport has held onto its crown as the most powerful travel document in East Africa, even as it slid two places in the latest Henley Passport Index, dropping from 67th to 69th position globally.
According to the 2025 rankings released this week, Kenyan passport holders can now access 71 destinations without a prior visa, down from 76 destinations in 2024.
The country now sits alongside The Gambia on the index, reflecting a slight decline in global travel freedom for Kenyans.
Despite the dip, Kenya continues to outpace its neighbours.
Tanzania follows closely at 70th position with visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 70 destinations, while Uganda ranks 71st with 67 destinations.
Rwanda remains further behind at 73rd with access to 63 destinations.
The slip comes after Kenya’s bold visa reforms, including the scrapping of traditional entry visas for most visitors in favour of an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system launched in January 2024.
The move, spearheaded by President William Ruto, aimed to boost regional integration and attract tourists and investors.
“We are having a conversation as Kenyans because it is unfair to ask anybody coming home for visas,” President Ruto said during the rollout of the policy. “In a few months, we are seriously considering abolishing any visa requirement for travelling to Kenya.”
While the policy has been praised for making Kenya more accessible, experts say the lack of reciprocal agreements means Kenyan travellers are not enjoying the same freedoms abroad.
Globally, Asian powerhouses Singapore and South Korea continue to dominate the index, offering their citizens visa-free access to 192 destinations — nearly three times more than Kenya.
For many Kenyans, the passport ranking carries more than symbolic weight.
It shapes how easy it is to explore the world, pursue education abroad, and conduct business without costly or lengthy visa applications.
Yet, as the index shows, Kenya remains a step ahead regionally, giving its citizens the most travel freedom within East Africa.
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