Kenya has stopped air traffic to Tanzania, and international airlines operating there are being asked to renegotiate air service agreements with Kenya. The government stopped passengers at Nairobi airport from flying to Dar es Salaam, the Tanzanian capital, on Sunday (5 June), and thousands of people were left stranded.

SYNOPSIS: The airlines involved said they had received letters from the Ministry of Power and Communications on Friday (3 June) telling them traffic rights for people travelling between the two countries had been withdrawn with immediate effect.

But on Tuesday (7 June) the Secretary of the Ministry of Power and Communications, Mr. Samuel Ogembo, denied that flights had been banned and said the aim was to get airlines to discuss future air services. Meanwhile,airport scenes remained chaotic. some of the stranded passengers spoke to newsmen about the conditions.

According to official sources, one airline, Alitalia, was still accepting bookings to the Tanzanian capital after receiving the letter. But in Nairobi itself,Zambia airways was only airline bound for Dar es Salaam not yet affected by the order.

The land border between Kenya and Tanzania has been closed since last February following strained relations between the two nations,leaving the international airlines as the only direct link between them.