Governors have no power to close borders of their respective counties and police officers should not implement such orders, Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has said.
Dr Matiang’i told the National Assembly Delegated Committee that any move by a governor to impose restrictions on movement of people in and out of a county is illegal, saying such a decision can only be made by the National Security Council.
“I want to tell our police officers not to respect any cessation of movement imposed by counties that is not approved by the National Security Council and signed by the president,” the CS said.
He went on: “The Public Order Act is in black and white that cessation can’t be issued by any other person other than the president.”
The Interior CS was responding to a question from Kandara MP Alice, who claimed that Murang’a Governor Mwangi wa Iria had closed the county borders and was even not allowing movement of doctors in and out of the county despite medics being classified as essential service providers.
Dr Matiang’i said he was only aware of the order issued by the president restricting movement of people in out of Nairobi, Mombasa, Kwale and Kilifi due to the rising cases of coronavirus.
Last month, Governor Wa Iria barred people from other counties from travelling to Murang’a, saying the visits were putting residents at risk in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
“I know this will be unpopular but I do not want visitors from other counties in Murang’a. Murang’a people should also stay in Murang’a; experts say this virus is spread by people moving from one place to the other,” Mr Wa Iria said.
Mandera and Wajir governors followed suit, imposing a temporary ban on the sale and transportation of miraa in the regions to prevent spread of the coronavirus.
While announcing the ban in his county, Governor Ali Roba (Mandera) said miraa business posed a high risk in the spread of Covid-19 and that the suspension was just one of the many measures to be implemented in Mandera.
On Saturday, Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho also threatened to lock down Old Town, owing to the increased number of Covid-19 cases.
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