Nairobi News

HashtagNews

Arrest Mheshimiwas who break Covid-19 rules, Uhuru orders police


President Uhuru Kenyatta on Monday ordered the police not to spare any Mheshimiwa caught flaunting the curfew or Covid-19 restrictions.

The President directed the Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai to enforce the law equally to all Kenyans saying that no politician, regardless of rank or social status, will be spared.

HEALTH PROTOCOLS

“The Inspector General of police shall ensure that his officers spare no mheshimiwa or individual, regardless of social status or rank, who is either out of curfew or who flouts the health protocols without being an essential worker. The rules are for every all of us, and rank or status does not exempt you from them,” President Kenyatta said.

However, the President did not impose a lockdown of any kind as expected, but instead announced a 30-day extension of the nationwide 9pm-5am curfew.

The president said such a measure will not benefit anybody and that the responsibility to contain the virus lies with individuals.

The current curfew will remain for the next 30 days and all chiefs have been asked to strictly implement the ban on public gatherings.

The head of state at the same time ordered the closure of all bars until further notice. Eateries and restaurants, which have been reopened, will also be required to end their daily business at 7pm.

The president also ordered the police boss to permanently withdraw licenses of bars that are in breach of the new directive.

ARRESTED AND CHARGED

So far Kenya has so far recorded 17, 975 cases of Covid-19 after 440 people more tested positive on Monday. The number of fatalities recorded in the country stands at 285.

The president’s directives come at a time when there has been total disregard to social distancing and gatherings by some politicians and Cabinet Secretaries.

Last week, Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja resigned as chairman of Senate ad hoc Committee on Covid-19 after he was arrested drinking a club way past the curfew hours.

Sakaja has since been arraigned in court and fined Sh15,000 for the offence. Kasipul MP Ong’ondo Were has also been arraigned in court over a similar charge.

Mr Were pleaded guilty to holding a public gathering where participants did not adhere to Covid-19 regulations and was fined Sh15,000. The MP paid the fine and is now a free man.