Following an increase in COVID-19 incidents, Kenya’s president announced new steps on Friday, including the closure of five counties and the suspension of parliamentary and county assembly sessions.
Uhuru Kenyatta said in a televised address that parliamentary and country sessions have been postponed until further notice with the approval of political leadership.
Nairobi, Machakos, Kajiado, Kiambu, and Nakuru counties are all under lockdown.
Kenyatta, who obtained the COVID-19 vaccine on Friday, confirmed that these counties account for 70% of Kenya’s reported cases.
He directed that “there shall be cessation of all movement by road, rail, or air into and out of the disease-infected area effective midnight tonight.”
Within the zoned counties, all public assemblies and in-person meetings ofsome kind have been halted.
In the affected area, the ongoing nationwide curfew has been changed to begin at 8:00 p.m. and end at 4:00 a.m. Due to abuse by holders, curfew passes and exemptions have been revoked and will be reissued by the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Health.
Congregational gatherings have also been halted in all places of worship inthe zoned counties until further notice. In-person instruction has now been suspended in all educational establishments, including universities, tertiary and technical schools, with the exception of candidates taking exams and those in medical training institutions.
Bar operations in the zoned counties have also been halted.
So far, 126,000 cases have been recorded in East Africa, with 2,092 deaths and 91,268 recoveries.
Educator, writer and legal researcher at Alafarika for Studies and Consultancy.