President Uhuru Kenyatta has ordered the cessation of movement by road, rail, or air into and out of Nairobi, Kajiado, Machakos, Kiambu, and Nakuru counties effective March 26.
In a state of the nation address delivered on Friday, President Kenyatta explained the decision had been arrived at after a surge in Covid-19 cases in these counties.
“That fully conscious 70 percent of Kenya’s reported cases of Covid-19 have been recorded in the Counties of Nairobi, Kajiado, Machakos, Kiambu, and Nakuru, these counties are individually and collectively declared a disease-infected area,” he announced.
The Head of State also announced the dawn to dusk curfews in these five countries will begin at 8pm and end at 4am, effective tonight.
The other Counties will, however, continue with the 10pm to 4am curfew.
“There shall be a cessation of all movement by rail, road, all air, into and out of the disease infected area as one zoned area comprising of the counties of Nairobi, Kajiado, Machakos, Kiambu and Nakuru effective midnight tonight until otherwise notified,” he added.
The Head of State also ordered the suspension of ordinary sessions of the August house, as well as those in the county assemblies of Nairobi, Machakos, Kajiado, Kiambu, and Nakuru and their committees.
President Kenyatta further ordered the suspension of all in-person learning at all institutions including universities, tertiary and vocational colleges, except for candidates sitting their examinations and those in medical training institutions until further notices.
All sporting activities are also suspended, including those conducted by members’ clubs.
All employees of private and government bodies are directed to have employees working from home until further notice, except those where services cannot be provided remotely.
He ordered all hospitals to limit the number of visitors to patients to just one per patient.
All permitted gatherings to have not more than 50 people. Funerals to be conducted within 72 hours of confirmation of death with just a total of 50 people.
Marriage other similar events to have a total of 30 people with those above 58 to be vaccinated in first phase.
While declaring the counties as “disease-infected areas”, President Kenyatta similarly banned the sale of alcohol in restaurants and eateries until further notice within the listed places.
The President also aded that all restaurants and eateries in these counties shall henceforth provide take away services only.
“The operations of bars, restaurants and eateries in the other 42 counties shall continue as is, but they shall at all times be conducted in strict fidelity to Ministry of Health guidelines, failure to which appropriate action against management, staff, patrons and premises shall be taken,” he said.
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