Today Tuesday, July 27, marks the end of curfew as instituted by President Kenyatta – and Kenyans don’t know what to expect.
This is because president Uhuru Kenyatta is expected to arrive in London today, July 27, to chair Global Education Summit and strengthen the Kenya-UK strategic partnership.
Uhuru travelled after he was exempted from the Red List UK imposed on Kenyan travellers amid concerns about the spread of the new COVID-19 variants in Kenya.
The nationwide night curfew was extended by Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i in May.
A number of Kenyans want the curfew lifted arguing that it has done little to reduce the spread of Covid-19 infections in the country.
Earlier extension
The government in May extended nationwide night curfew for 60 days to July 26.
The curfew which runs between 10pm and 4am in Nairobi and other counties was made through a special gazette notice dated May 28.
The country’s Covid-19 positivity rate stands at 13.5, from an all-time high of 17 in March, but there is fear of a fourth wave of infections, even as the government ramps up efforts to vaccinate much of the population by the end of this year.
As of July 26, the country’s caseload stood at 197,959 with the cumulative tests so far conducted being 2,097,101.
In May, the government extended nationwide night curfew for 60 days to July 26 as part of measures to contain the third wave of Covid-19 infections.
10pm to 4m
The announcement of the curfew which runs between 10pm and 4am was made through a special gazette notice dated May 28.
“This order shall apply during the hours of darkness between 10 o’clock in the evening and four o’clock in the morning with effect from the 28th of May 2021 and shall remain in effect for a period of 60 days thereof,” Dr Matiang’i said in the notice.
Adding: “There shall be no public gatherings, processions or movement either alone or as a group during the period of the curfew except as shall be permitted in writing by a police officer in charge of the police in a county or a police officer in charge of a division or sub-county.”
Kenyans are waiting
Kenyans will be waiting to hear if the government will uplift the night curfew or extend it for some more months… which is the most likely.
Meanwhile, a total of 1,673,272 vaccines have so far been administered across the country, with 1,047,592 first doses while second doses stood at 625,680.