A group of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) have asked the government to withdraw alcohol and tobacco from the list of the essential services.
International Institute for Legislative Affairs (IILA), Kenya Tobacco Control Alliance (KETCA) and Alcohol Control Policy Network (ACPN) have written to the government about the matter.
The NGOs cite that the two commodities are the weakest link in the fight against the Coronavirus pandemic that as of Monday, April 20 had claimed the lives of 14 people in the country.
A section of the letter by the NGOs to the ministry read, "We are saddened that the Ministry of Industrialisation, Trade and Enterprise Development has chosen to enlist alcohol and tobacco as part of essential products.
"We believe that your ministry is well-intentioned in supporting the fight against the pandemic and are, therefore, urging you to kindly withdraw the listing of these deadly commodities as part of essential products."
The NGOs argue that the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other global health experts have cited that tobacco use, which causes lung cancer, increases the risk of Covid-19 deaths.
IKETCA chairman Joel Gitali sought an explanation from MoH as to why they included alcohol and tobacco as essential services.
"We want MoH as a matter of urgency to explain why it seems comfortable and whether it agrees with its industrialisation counterpart on the listing of the two products as essential.
"We believe that this move will not only make the Ministry of Health and the government's efforts counterproductive in the fight against Covid-19 but also subject Kenyans to unnecessary yet preventable deaths."
After President Uhuru Kenyatta ordered the dusk till dawn curfew and cessation of movement a number of commodities were included in the list of essential services to allow for their free movement.
The list included cereals, sugar, wheat products (bread, confectionaries and breakfast cereals), sugar confectionaries, dairy products, processed foods, meat and meat products, fish and edible oils.
The others are salt and cooking spices, fruits, vegetables and nuts, water, juices and non or carbonated drinks/diluting drinks, tea, coffee, tobacco and alcohol beverages.
Majority of people arrested for flouting the dusk till dawn curfew have been found drinking with no regard to social distancing.
