Govt: Kenyans who chose to be quarantined at Pride Inn Lantana hotel must pay their bills

The Government will not be taking care of bills that 42 Kenyans quarantined at the Pride Inn Lantana hotel incurred, government spokesperson Cyrus Oguna has said.

The latest comes after 42 people under mandatory quarantine wrote to the Ministry of Health Director General Patrick Amoth, asking the ministry to offset their bills.

The government noted that Kenyans who chose to be quarantined at the hotel had entered into a private agreement with the hotel.

“The government shall not be held responsible for bills incurred out of choice by an individual or individuals,” the statement read.

Further, the statement from Cyrus Oguna noted that those in quarantine had been given the choice of cheaper government facilities but made their choice “based on their ability to pay”.

The Ministry of Heath had extended the quarantine period for the 42 who were holed in at the Pride Inn Lantana by an additional 14 days after reports that they flouted the social distancing guidelines.

As of Sunday, several people had been released by the hotel after paying the accrued bills for the period.

A handful others are still stuck at the facility, saying the bills have taken a toll on their finances, and they are unable to settle the hotel charges.

This comes with the government saying a number of quarantine facilities will be closed down.

The facilities which include among others, the Pride Inn Hotel Lantana were to be closed by April 9.

Those who had tested positive would be taken to health facilities while those whose results were negative would be allowed to go home.