Don’t give illegal directives – Daily Nation

EDITORIAL

By EDITORIAL
More by this Author

The fight against the Covid-19 pandemic calls for concerted efforts to stem the spread of the deadly virus. Nothing has in recent years posed such a grave challenge to the world as the coronavirus disease has. Sadly, the virus, as if mocking the ability to banish it, continues to wreak havoc on the human race, calling for urgent strict measures to ensure the safety of all.

When faced with a scourge of such magnitude, there is bound to be some disruption, with an increasing tendency to come up with actions that could worsen it or even infringe on rights. This pandemic has pushed the authorities and private and public organisations to come up with ways and means to tackle the new plague. However, it calls for proper co-ordination.

A laudable response has been witnessed in all the 47 counties, with the governors in the frontline of the implementation of the Ministry of Health guidelines to curb the spread of this highly contagious disease. However, some have been overzealous, trying to even exercise powers they do not possess. It is noteworthy, therefore, that Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has felt compelled to intervene before the situation gets out of hand.

However much the governors may be keen to ensure that no infections are imported into their areas, as Dr Matiang’i has cautioned, they must not exercise powers that they do not have. They cannot, for instance, close county boundaries and the orders issued by some of them are null and void and should be ignored. The CS has clarified that the decision to restrict the movement of people can only be made by the National Security Council.

What is evident, however, is the need to properly co-ordinate all these efforts and strengthen the national onslaught against the Covid-19 menace.


Credit: Source link