Covid-19: Uhuru extends curfew for 30 days, orders closure of all bars

President Uhuru Kenyatta has extended the dusk-to-dawn curfew for another 30 days citing increased Covid-19 infections which he said have risen since he eased the pandemic’s containment measures on July 6, 2020.

“I hereby order that the nationwide curfew remains in place for another 30 days from 9pm to 4am,” he said. 

Addressing the nation from Statehouse Nairobi, after meeting all governors, the President further directed there will be no sale of alcohol effective midnight today for 30 days in eateries and bars across the country

President Uhuru (pictured) also directed that all bars will be closed until further notice.

The Head of State also directed the Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai to withdraw permanently operating licenses of all bars that will breach of the regulations put in place.

He ordered the IG not to spare any politician who will breach the Ministry of Health protocols.

“IG to ensure officers spare any politician regardless of social status or rank or break the health protocol set up, the rules are for all Kenyans,” he said.

"All measures will be for all Kenyans regardless of an individual’s status," he directed.

He also directed police to enforce Ministry of Health guidelines in public gatherings and funerals.

He further directed all government institutions including sports facilities identified by the ministry as isolation centres shall be availed forthwith.

Individual responsibility

President Uhuru urged Kenyans to be responsible and adhere to all protocols put in place by the Ministry of Health such as wearing masks, keeping social distance and sanitizing regularly.

“We need to be serious by adhering to all the containment measures such as wearing masks, social distancing and frequent sanitising of hands,” he said.

He said Covid-19 has so far affected 44 counties, claimed 280 lives with 17,603 Kenyans testing positive for the virus.

Uhuru warned Kenyans against downplaying the effect of the disease because it has killed fewer Kenyans compared to other countries.

“We are fortunate that the fatality rate is lower than the global average and this has given Kenyans false comfort that the pandemic is not serious”

Uhuru said the government cannot police each and every individual to enforce the regulations, hence Kenyans must take responsibility

“We have to ensure some of these containment measures are adhered to, for example, shopkeepers must ensure their clients are in masks before serving them,” said the President.

“Kenyans must come out to do their part to flatten the curve and keep our country save. We are in abnormal times.”

Uhuru said Kenya is at war with an invisible enemy which is relentless in their attack, hence we have to determine our fate or else we will lose

“We can only win if we stand together and have a single aim of facing the enemy,” he said.

“We individually and collectively have the power to save each other by taking responsibility and adhering to all the protocols put in place,” he said.

New infections

Coronavirus cases have spiked by nearly 10,000 since the lockdown order on Nairobi, Mombasa and Mandera was lifted on July 6, 2020.

The effect has manifested itself in 280 Covid-19 related deaths so far after the first infection was announced in March.

As a result, the number of confirmed cases since the reopening of the economy went up by 9,536 while the fatalities shot up by 116. This is an increase of 54 and 41 per cent, respectively.

The 9,536 cases are 1,469 more than what the country had recorded on March 13 when the first case was reported and July 6 when containment measures were eased and the economy was largely opened.

With new infections and deaths increasing by 54 and 41 per cent respectively since July 6, Nairobi remains the main hotspot of the virus.

The capital now has the highest number of positive cases at 10,388.

On July 6, President Uhuru said the opening of the economy by lifting the lockdown was temporary and would be reversed if the country’s health system appeared to be overwhelmed.

“The order to reopen is issued conditionally. Should the situation deteriorate and pose a challenge to our health infrastructure, we will have to revert back to lockdown,” he said.

“Any trends that signal the worsening of the pandemic, we will have no choice but to return to lockdown at zero option.”