Shame as 39 bars flouting Covid-19 protocols, some owned by senior government officials

[Courtesy]

Makueni County is currently one among the nine counties that are recording the highest number of COVID-19 cases which the ministry of health raised a red flag three days ago.

Sources within the COVID-19 treatment and Isolation centre inside the Makueni referral hospital indicate that situation has been worsening day by day.

“The numbers are rising and by yesterday we had 93 clients, both in isolation in hospitals and others at home. There is an upsurge, our people have let our guard down, everybody knows what to do but they are now defiant although people are receiving vaccines,” said Health Chief Officer Dr. Patrick Kibwana.

However, even during the period of such heightened spread of the virus, bars and restaurants mostly owned by some, “untouchable” senior government officials in the ministry of interior have been operating 24 hours.

Locals are also said to have reported those joints going against the law.

The county Commissioner (CC) Maalim Mohammed who addressed media said he had personally witnessed the flouting of curfew rules by those bars. He named and threatened to ensure 39 bars operating out of the stipulated working hours and flouting covid-19 rules are closed.

He revealed that those bars located at various sub-counties have been operating past 7 pm rule where the Ministry of Health (MOH) guidelines to ensuring COVID-19 doesn’t spread requires them to shut at such a time.

The county has a total of 4,000 bars.

“We have 39 bars in the county facing closure for not observing MOH regulations, these bars had been served with a notice but they ignored and we have no choice but to close them,” Mohammed toughly said

In the order of how notorious the bars have been operating, Makueni which has Wote town is leading with 14 bars operating past required time.

Kilungu sub-county has nil.

However, he noted with concern music played in those various bars which make levellers easily forget the COVID-19 protocols and start dancing holding each other without following social distancing.

As of today, Makueni admitted 27 people in various health facilities across the county while 3 are at the Makueni GK Prison, according to Mohammed.

On Churches and mosques, the county boss said they had obeyed the protocols, “We have no problem with our places of worship both the Churches and the Mosques, they observe covid-19 protocols, members sanitize and wear face masks, keep social distance and a third capacity sitting rule is obeyed”.

A spot check on various reported bars and restaurants by yesterday shortly after the announcement found deserted places, probably they had got wind of the threats.