Police have issued a warning to matatu operators who will defy the nationwide 7 p.m to 5 a.m curfew as issued by President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday, March 25, 2020.
The Head of State issued the directive as a measure to tame the further spread of the Covid-19 virus that has since claimed the life of one person, with total confirmed cases reaching 31 as of Friday, March 27, 2020.
The Standard on Friday, March 26 reported that Rift Valley Police Commander Marcus Ochola warned that any of them caught subverting the order would be arrested and their vehicles impounded.
He further directed that passengers and motorists obey the directive and travel early so as to avoid confrontations with a multi-agency team assigned to ensure the curfew is adhered to.
"Passengers should begin their journey early because we shall not allow anybody to be on the road at 7 p.m as directed by the president," Ochola stated.
"Heavy deployment has been done to ensure everyone is home from 7 a.m. We expect all commuters and members of the public to be inside their houses as per guidelines," he added.
The police boss urged members of the public to adhere to the national directive and observe proper hygiene, as well as social distancing to prevent further spreading of the virus.
"It is worrying that we still have people crowding and some are reluctant to clean their hands with soap and water," Ochola stated.
With Inspector General Hillary Mutyambai recalling officers on leave, the National Police Service has reportedly deployed over 70,000 officers around the country to enforce the curfew.
NPS spokesperson Charles Owino further warned that anyone caught violating the curfew directive would attract a 3-month jail sentence.
