Inspector-General of Police Hillary Mutyabai on Thursday, April 23, issued a new directive that could change the course in the fight against the spread of Covid-19 in the country.
The Inspector-General has directed police to disregard and ignore any orders issued by governors calling for lockdowns in different counties to limit the in-and-out movement of people within the counties while adding that such orders were only valid when issued by Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'í.
Mandera Governor Ali Roba on April 9, declared a total lockdown in Mandera County after the county registered it's first two cases of coronavirus adding that it is important for the nation to emulate countries that had done the same if the fight was to be won.
“Countries that have succeeded in the fight against the coronavirus are those that practiced early lockdowns to restrict the spread,
"Covid-19 doesn’t spread by itself but through the movement of people. As such we are left with no choice but to order a lockdown within the county," Roba had stated in a press briefing.
On Wednesday, April 22, Interior CS Fred Matiang'i through his Twitter account declared a 21-day lockdown in Mandera county supporting Governor Roba earlier move.
''Following the increase in community-based Covid-19 infections in Mandera County, the government has sanctioned the that there be a cessation of movement by air and road into and out of Mandera County for an initial period of 21 days, commencing 7 p.m. today to the 22nd of April 2020," Matiang'i announced.
The Interior CS also hinted that a possible lockdown was looming in Mombasa, Kwale and Kilifi Counties the other counties affected by Covid-19
''His Excellency President Uhuru Kenyatta has directed the National Command Centre on the Coronavirus Pandemic to immediately review the enforcement of public health measures in Mombasa, Kwale and Kilifi. The results of this review will be announced in the next 48 hours,'' he stated.
Kilifi Governor Amason Kingi on Thursday declared that he was considering a total lockdown as the surest way of combating the spread of the dreaded virus in his county.
“We are becoming really worried as a region. We have discussed a possible lockdown as we think this could be the only way out. As long as there is movement within Mombasa and Kilifi and between Mombasa, Kilifi and the other coastal counties, there are going to be infections,” stated Kingi.
