LOCKDOWN DURING CHRISTMAS

Governors have urged President Uhuru Kenyatta to impose a lockdown during the Christmas and New Year festivities, citing fears of an increase in coronavirus infections.

The Saturday Nation has learnt that the Council of Governors yesterday proposed a lockdown in the coming two weeks, as the festive season begins and Kenyans start mass travel.

There are suggestions of movement restrictions in and out of the Covid-19 epicentres. Counties leading in new infections are Nairobi, Mombasa, Kiambu, Nakuru, Kajiado, Uasin Gishu, Busia, Machakos, Kisumu and Kilifi.

The governors, who met the President after the groundbreaking of G47 Ugatuzi Towers and launch of the County Covid-19 Socio-economic Re-engineering and Recovery Strategy in Nairobi yesterday, reportedly presented the proposal to Mr Kenyatta.

But the President’s decision, according to sources, will largely depend on the National Emergency Response Committee (NERC), which will meet on Monday to discuss the proposed stringent measures and other matters.

Sources close to the Council of Governors meeting told the Saturday Nation that county bosses are worried he festive season would lead to an exodus of town dwellers to villages, making the already bad situation worse.

Hospitals in rural areas are struggling to deal with the fast rising coronavirus infections.

“Many people are travelling to their villages. Those who are Covid-19 asymptomatic will infect more people, especially the elderly,” the source said.

“This could wipe out families and even villages. If hospitals in towns are not well-equipped, imagine the situation in rural counties.”

Infections have been increasing rapidly in the last six weeks, with November being the worst month since the country recorded its first coronavirus case in March.

There are concerns that if a lockdown and other Covid-19 tougher measures are announced before Christmas, it will affect movement of students and pupils in schools.

Learning institutions are expected to close by December 23.

Sourced from the Daily Nation