Police enforcing the new curfew imposed by President Uhuru Kenyatta arrested scores of people in Kiambu town on Saturday night.
In Kikuyu town, uniformed police and those in civilian wear, as well as DCI officers patrolled Kikuyu town to enforce the 8pm curfew.
Those arrested included boda boda operators who were found waiting for potential customers and milk vendors who were found cleaning their gallons and who tried to close hurriedly on seeing police.
More people were busted and arrested as they tried to hide in matatus parked in petrol stations.
The busy Nakuru-Nairobi highway was, however, deserted from as early as 7:30pm. Only a few long-distance truckers were still driving on the highway past the time.
Most businesses were closed by 8pm and Kikuyu town was a ghost town, apart from guards watching over business premises.
In Wangige, Kabete Deputy OCPD Anthony Maina led a contingent of more than 20 policemen and women backed up by county enforcement officers to contain the populous market.
The officers stood by the road to stop motorists and riders and at one time the officers escaped death by a whisker when a motorist lost control and almost hit them while attempting to flee. The officers scampered for safety.
Police later erected spikes near the station, which saw many motorists flouting the rules arrested.
The OCPD, through intelligence, also learnt of people who fled the main town to drink in the outskirts of Wangige.
The officers raided smaller towns of Gikuni, Ruko, Nyathuna and Kingeeero, where they found alcohol being sold.
On spotting the officers, operators of a bar in Nyathuna locked the door from inside. Police broke into the bar and found women and men drinking.
All attempted to escape, with others using the back door and injuring themselves.
Maina said it was worrying that the government tried to save lives of people who were hell-bent on killing themselves.
“It is sad that adults of sober mind can accept to be locked in a bar to drink when the government is imploring that Covid-19 is killing people in such settings,” he said.
The OCPD said those arrested would be arraigned today. By close of the swoop 23 people, including 10 motorists, had been arrested.
“We shall patrol this area until total compliance is achieved. We are living in extraordinary time and we need to employ extraordinary moves if we are to win this war,” he said.
