Deputy President William Ruto (above) has strongly appealed to Kenyans to observe the set guidelines by the Ministry of Health to tame the coronavirus pandemic.

Dr Ruto, who was speaking from his Karen home in Nairobi, said defeating the coronavirus which has occasioned so much mayhem, only requires simple behavioural and hygiene. His overriding message was: "Stay at home."

“Coronavirus can't move; it needs our bodies to transfer from one place to another. Curtailing our movement will hugely prevent the movement of this virus,” he said.

The DP said people working from home must continue to do so, while those who are unable must observe the guidelines i.e, wear masks at all times, observe social distance, wash hands with soap and water, sanitize, all of which are the most effective ways of beating the virus.

The deputy president also urged employers to allow their staff to work in shifts to limit the number of people in one place at a particular time.

He reminded those who do not commit to the measures that they were not just risking their lives, but also that of everyone around them.

“This kind of reckless negligence is unacceptable,” Dr Ruto warned.

Government’s measures

In reiteration to President Uhuru Kenyatta’s message and that of the Health Ministry, Dr Ruto announced some of the actions the government is taking in the fight against Covid-19.

  • Assemble and provide verified information to the public to empower citizens to make the right decisions, adding that citizen behaviour is at the heart of defeating this pandemic.
  • The Kenyan government has equipped different hospitals with equipment. “In preparation for the possible escalation numbers of the COVID-19 cases, the government has designated and equipped different hospitals and facilities.”
  • The Government has directed the Ministry of Education to identify boarding schools that can be used as isolation facilities.
  • It is also in the process of hiring additional health personnel including 1,000 doctors. “The government is working with KEMSA to stock-pile medical supplies necessary for the management of Covid-19 cases. The Public Service Commission is undertaking recruitment of additional health personnel including 1,000 doctors,” he added.
  • The Government is working with the World Health Organization (WHO) and Africa Center for Disease Control on the approval of rapid diagnostic kits to scale-up testing. The DP said this is a necessary step to capture all the infected persons.
  • That government is making available Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to all health workers. The DP asked Kenyans to rigorously observe the set guidelines so as not to overburden them.
  • Local manufacturers have been asked to scale up production of masks and protective medical gear.
  • Government is also working to scale up ventilators. “We are also scaling up oxygen supplies for all 94 hospitals that were identified for use of patients who may need supplementary oxygen,” the DP said.

Kenyan politicians have been criticised for being too quiet on the pandemic.

The Deputy President has also been missing in President Uhuru’s updates to the nation on the status of the coronavirus in Kenya.

Last week, the DP broke his silence on the pandemic.

 In a tweet, he said that he and the President were working on practical strategies to deal with Covid-19.

"All options are on our cards," he added.

Ruto also urged that law enforcers act with ‘restraint and civility’ when the countrywide curfew was on its third day.

His plea came amid reports of police brutality as the dusk to dawn curfew kicked off.

The DP, while defending the directive imposed by President Uhuru Kenyatta, urged Kenyans to comply with the terms, adding that citizens should treat the pandemic as a ‘very serious’ issue.