GOVERNMENT HAS LIFTED CURFEW ON BARS

The government has clarified the time bars and restaurants are required to close after a state of confusion following the lifting of the dusk-to-dawn curfew on Wednesday.

In a press briefing on Thursday, Health CS Mutahi Kagwe announced that the time for closure of bars and restaurants had been reviewed and reverted to 11pm or the time stipulated in their licenses.

“We are reverting to the closure of bars and restaurants at 11pm or the time allowed by the licensing authorities,” said Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe. 

Kagwe, however, noted that the other existing protocols on hand-washing, social distancing and sanitizing shall remain enforced.  

“This means that all facilities will still be expected to have hand-washing booths and abide by the sitting capacity,” he said. 

This comes as a relief for bar owners who have been pleading with the government to extend their operating hours to enable them recover from the effects of Covid-19. 

National Bar Owners Association Secretary-General Boniface Gachioka earlier Thursday said the government should not be worried that the bar owners will not comply with the Covid-19 containment measures. 

“During Covid, the number of patrons who attended our bars, we were okay with it, this is not the time we are going to need more because we understand what Covid is,” said Gachioka. 

Detailing the effects of Covid-19 on the bar owners, Gachioka said since the onset of the pandemic in March 2020, 15,000 bars have been closed, Ksh.150 billion losses incurred and 250,000 jobs lost. 

He further claimed that the bar owners had not received any sum from President Kenyatta as a recovery package. 

“At the peak of Covid, President Kenyatta gave us Sh2 billion that was supposed to be used as a recovery package, not even a single member of our 54,000 bars and hotels and liquor traders got that money,” he said. 

“This is the when we need the government more, we need a recovery plan, we need recovery finances,” Gachioka added. 

On Wednesday, President Kenyatta vacated the dusk-to-dawn curfew but failed to give specifics on other existing restrictions like bar closures.

By Citizen TV

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