Kenya’s newly introduced mandatory travel insurance requirement for international visitors has been slammed by a consumer watchdog, which warns the policy could deter tourists and make the destination less competitive. The Consumers Federation of Kenya (COFEK) has backed a legal challenge seeking to suspend the government’s new Mandatory Inbound Travel Health Insurance Programme, arguing the scheme was introduced through an unfair and unconstitutional process. The new requirement means travellers must hold insurance covering medical expenses, emergency medical evacuation and repatriation of remains before entering Kenya. Vantage Point Ventures claims it invested significant financial and technical resources developing a compliant travel insurance product but was excluded from the programme after its approval was allegedly withdrawn without clear or transparent reasons. The petition is seeking orders to suspend implementation of the mandatory insurance scheme while the court considers the constitutional challenge, as well as disclosure of the criteria used to select participating insurers.