Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho has outlined a heavier penalty for Nairobi residents if they continue flouting government directives stipulated to curb Coronavirus (Covid-19).
The PS on Monday, April 20, detailed that the directives set by President Uhuru Kenyatta, on cessation of movement and curfew, were being monitored and a possible lockdown was on the cards, as the Interior docket kept an eye on the escalating cases in the hotspots.
Nairobi County is the leading epicentre of Covid-19 with over eight estates listed as time bombs. The residents were accused of circumventing the cessation of movement order.
"It will be an exercise in futility to say let's continue as normal if the curve is not flattening. Remember the cessation was to achieve certain objectives. If we haven't achieved them, we will ask the government to extend.
"And it is a high time we have to realise that the more we behave carelessly, the more we put ourselves in this position. We are now properly mapping hot spots. We are going to do cessation of movement within those hotspots. We have also done cessation of movement in other counties (Kwale, Kilifi, Mombasa) and we have discussed that the cessation will be replicated in other hot spots where infection increases, according to our observation," Kibicho warned.
Health CS Mutahi Kagwe, on Saturday, April 18, insisted that almost all Nairobi estates had been affected by the Covid-19 virus.
''Today I want to make a special appeal to the people in the counties of Machakos, Kajiado, Kiambu and Murang'a. As Nairobi Metropolitan counties, you have a special responsibility to guard against coronavirus from Nairobi County,'' Kagwe urged neighbouring counties to be vigilant, while addressing the press on Monday, April 20.
On Friday, April 17, in a press conference Interior CS Fred Matiang'i pointed out different estates within Nairobi not adhering to any government directive and engaging in drinking sprees and parties.
Cases of night arrests in Nairobi have been on the rise. On April 20, 39 women were arrested while attending a night wedding and were put into mandatory quarantine.
"If you are in a public gathering and we arrest you, we wouldn't know who is infected. Once you are arrested, we will take you into quarantine so that we can know if you spread the disease," Kibicho warned.
Video: Citizen TV
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