My two month lockdown story in Nairobi

My Work Trip to Nairobi

Work travel is not always as flexible as a personal trip. I made plans to travel to Nairobi on 16^th March 2020. It was not an unusual expedition but a routine work trip. I had a few days to complete my assignment. I arrived late in the afternoon and passengers were lined up to get their temperatures checked. I felt nervous and there was one guy behind me who had to get his temperature checked twice due to the anxiety he was experiencing but fortunately we were allowed to proceed. Sure, many of us had the same worries and concerns over growing fears of the COVID-19 virus outbreak and the pandemic was already starting to spread across parts of East Africa, with numerous confirmed cases in Nairobi.

While waiting through the horrific long lines in Jomo Kenyatta Airport, I connected to the airport internet. Immediately thereafter, I received my first notification and stood there staring at my phone screen in astonishment as I read that the first coronavirus case was confirmed in Mogadishu and the airport will be on lockdown within 48 hours.

Work from Hotel

Somali authorities have announced international flight restrictions to and from Somalia for fourteen days to control the situation and prevent further spread of the virus. I immediately shared the bad news with my colleague. We felt very worried and discussed last-minute changes to our travel plans. Though my colleague decided to travel back to Mogadishu the following day, I was able to continue working on the set schedule and finish the planned work. In doing so, I was told to work from the hotel during those critical days and stay indoors. I thought to myself that two weeks will go by fast and didn’t think of it as an issue, while also adapting to my new work-from-home environment. 

Before I knew it, everything was slowly transforming into chaos. Not only did the Somali government impose a lock-down of their airport, but Kenya also declared their own restriction procedures such as the closing down of public spaces (houses of worship, schools, restaurants and etc) and a strict curfew starting at 7:00 pm to 5:00 am. Eventually, the Kenyan government imposed their own restrictions on flights coming in and out of their country and this put me in further distress. 

The hotel I was staying in was located in the Westlands area and it quickly became empty as many foreign visitors were exiting the country. Eventually, the two-week lock-down period was over but there was still no official confirmation from the Somali government regarding further extensions of the lock-down or any information of when the airport will be open to the public. The period for my 2-week stay was up and I had to move from the hotel to another hotel in Eastleigh, where I would have to cover my accommodations until further notice. I convinced myself the lock-down would not continue any longer than another week or two and I would remain patient.

Eastleigh is not an unfamiliar environment to me. Known as “Little Mogadishu”, it is a small suburb which has been inhabited by Somalis living in Nairobi. It somewhat felt like home for me as I was able to connect with many family and friends with whom I can share my feelings at the time. I was also introduced to a group of Somali university students who organized safe outdoor exercises during COVID-19. The workout routines were in the mornings at Karura Forest which offers eco-friendly vibes and open space to enjoy the leafy green respite. Everyone had to wear their masks and practice social distancing.  

With Ramadan fast approaching and an extended lockdown of the airport in Somalia, it was becoming clear to me that there was no sign that I could travel to Somalia. I started to realize that the reality of the situation would continue to keep me and my family back home apart and it was devastating.

My colleagues in Mogadishu discussed possible options for my return, and since domestic flights within Somalia were still in effect, there was an idea for me to travel from Nairobi to Mandera then Dollow to Mogadishu. This was a perfect plan and gave me hope. Immediately thereafter, my tickets were issued and my departure was coming up on two days. On the morning of, my taxi was ready at 5:00 am. I checked out and headed to Wilson Airport for my flight to Mandera. I arrived at the airport and continued to the gate. While I was lined up in the queue, I saw a few Somalis who were ahead of me who were denied to travel within Kenya with a Somali passport. It was then brought to my attention that only Kenyan citizens are allowed to travel domestically. I didn’t realize that this was a new restriction that came into effect. This was another huge disappointment. I quietly exited the airport and headed back to check-in to the same hotel again. Shortly afterward, domestic flights within Somalia were also canceled and any further hope for an alternative exit strategy was lost.

The only source of hope was to adopt a positive mindset, and prepare myself to spend the month of Ramadan in Nairobi; however, not only would I be fasting outside of Somalia for the first time, but I wouldn’t be able to pray at a mosque or breakfast in large groups. This time, I would have to eat and pray on my own. I started to wonder how Ramadan would turn out for me in these unprecedented times while also having to adapt to a new routine in a new environment.

It was a lot more challenging than I thought. I couldn’t continue my regular work-outs while fasting during the day, and by iftar time, the 7:00 pm curfew immediately kicked in. No restaurants were open and only-take out was allowed. All the while, I was trying to keep up with any travel-related news that would allow me to return to Mogadishu. Eventually, I became fed up with being quarantined at home almost all day. I knew I had to get fresh air at least for an hour or two, and as my body was adapting to the state of fasting, my friends and I decided to take one hour walks before iftar. On some days, we would jog 7-10 km after the noon prayers. This helped us cope with the struggles of quarantine and lock-down and motivated us to stay healthy.  

Then one morning, Eastleigh was unexpectedly locked down by security forces due to a rise in COVID-19 cases which resulted in the immediate shutting down of business and movement restrictions. The situation has worsened and turned into a traumatic crisis that couldn’t be resolved and I was forced to quarantine for 5 consecutive days.

Restoration of Hope

The Somali embassy in Kenya started receiving many complaints and requests by Somalis who were left stranded in Kenya and wanted to return home. After almost two months of silence from the government, the embassy started to consider options for repatriation flights. They started registering all the Somalis who wanted to return to Somalia. With almost 500 Somali citizens who registered, 124 travelers were selected to return to Somalia. I was fortunate to be one of them. I could only hope now that the flight would be scheduled before Eid celebrations which were coming up in a matter of days.

Furthermore, passengers had to pay their own tickets and get tested for COVID-19 before boarding their flights.

Although I did not feel any coronavirus symptoms, I was frightened to receive my results. After 48 hours, my result came back negative. There were, however, some passengers who tested positive and were not allowed to board the flight. I was told that 21^st May would be the departure day, which was two days before Eid celebrations. I could not contain my excitement as my only hope was to be able to spend that special day with my family especially after being apart for two months.

The flight wheeled up at 12:00 pm after spending long hours in lines for tickets, check-in, and getting tested for COVID-19. Our first stop was in Garowe where some of the passengers got off. Before taking off to Mogadishu, Garowe airport authorities were holding up the flight to accommodate a Puntland minister who tested positive for COVID-19 and was quite ill. The crew insisted that all 107 passengers on the flight are COVID-19 negative and refused to put their lives and the passengers on board at risk. After almost 2 hours of deliberations, we were finally able to take off.

As soon as the plane hit the runway of Aden Adde International Airport, I felt a wave of happiness and excitement. The flight landed at around 6:00 pm in the evening and I couldn’t wait to get home and see my wife and children, especially as Eid was the next day. I couldn’t believe this was the end and it was a huge relief.

This is the story of my two-month lockdown outside of Somalia and what felt like 2 years in prison. One thing’s for sure, there is no place like home.