Tens of revellers were locked in bars on Thursday night as police moved to arrest those flouting Covid-19 protocols in Murang’a.
In the raid, the police arrested 10 suspects in Mukuyu market following intelligence reports that they had been locked in one of the rooms when police approached.
At the market centre, more than 50 revellers were forced to flee through the backdoors to evade arrest, with the majority leaving behind their vehicles in the parking lot.
The bar operators were forced to lock their customers inside their premises and switch off the lights to hide from the police.
The operation led by Murang’a East Deputy County Commissioner Virginia Githumbi also involved rangers from the Kenya Wildlife Service and Kenya Prisons followed an order by President Uhuru Kenyatta that the liquor outlets and hotels close at 9pm.
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The government, she said, has declared war against those who will fail to adhere to the protocols issued by the Ministry of Health to stop the spread of Covid-19.
“We shall be holding civic education to ensure all have the knowledge on why the guidelines have to be followed. Wearing of face masks is a must, thus the need for adults to be role models to the young who are the majority,” she said.
The suspects, she said, will be taken to court to face charges.
“Let it be known that licences of the bars found operating past the hours will be revoked as ordered,” said the DCC.
At the same time, there were several road accidents reported as the revellers drove away from the outlets as the police kicked off the raid.
Some vehicles were intercepted at the scene of accident and towed to Murang’a police station.
