NAIROBI, Kenya, May 14- The dusk to dawn curfew in Kenya will run until May 2021, amidst a gradual containment of the COVID-19 infections, now at 12 percent.
In a gazette notice dated April 12, Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang’i revealed the revised orders will cover not only the five zoned areas but also the rest of the country.
“This Order shall apply during the hours of darkness between eight o’clock in the evening and four o’clock in the morning with effect from the 29th March, 2021 and shall remain in effect for a period of sixty days thereof,” the Cabinet Secretary said in the notice.
Those outside the capital Nairobi, Kajiado, Machakos, Kiambu and Nakuru counties will however start their curfew from 10pm to 4am.
Those in zoned areas starts observing the curfew at 8pm.
The order further states that there shall be no public gatherings, processions or movement either alone or as a group during the period of the curfew except as shall be permitted, in writing, by a police officer in charge of the police in a county or a police officer in charge of the police in a division/sub-county.
Matiang’i had earlier on indicated the curfew orders would run for 30 days.
The notice also included advocates of the high court as among the essential service providers. The lawyers had gone to court to seek the orders to be included in the list.
A curfew and partial lockdown were introduced in Nairobi and the other four counties.
This has seen major operations suspended or scaled down.
President Uhuru Kenyatta announced the partial lockdown and instituted new curfew measures to start from 8pm to 4 amthe suspension of county assemblies and the closure of bars in Nairobi as the country experiences a third wave of the deadly virus.
“This tells us that our rate of infection has gone up 10 times between January and March 2021. Indeed, it is a clear indication of a new trend, that now Kenya is squarely in the grip of a third wave of the Pandemic,” said Kenyatta, adding that the peak is likely to flatten by mid-May.
This has adversely affected businesses in the country at large.
Some of the lockdown guidelines include suspension of gatherings at places of worship in the five counties and banning of the sale of alcohol and suspending the sale of alcohol at bars and restaurants.
Meanwhile, meetings or events including social gatherings are limited to 15, funerals, cremations and other interment ceremonies, must be conducted within 72 hours of confirmation of death; and limited to 50 mourners and and people traveling to Kenya must be in possession of a negative COVID-19 PCR Certificate, acquired no more than 96 hours prior to arrival, with the PCR Certificate also having been validated under the Trusted Travel platform for those traveling by air.
The essential service providers who will be allowed to pass the police roadblocks and also move past the curfew hours include Medical professionals, advocates of the high court, Health workers and National security officers.
Others are Licensed pharmaceutical companies, Licensed media houses and broadcasters, Kenya Railways Corporation staff, Kenya Ports Authority staff and Kenya Pipeline Corporation staff.
Others are Kenya Pipeline Company and distribution staff, Water service providers, Kenya Revenue Authority staff, Kenya, Airport Authority staff, Kenya Airways staff,Kenya Civil Aviation Authority staff, Licensed supermarkets and mini markets and supermarkets.
Fire brigade and emergency response services, Licensed security firms,Postal courier services and Retailers of petroleum and oil products are also included.
The agricultural and manufacturing sector, includes those in food and farm produce processors and distributors.
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