‘Ukishikwa hakuna haja ya kukupeleka kwa polisi, utapelekwa quarantine,’ Uhuru warns

President Uhuru Kenyatta has reiterated the warning from the Health Ministry that those found breaking the new laws on social distancing will be put in mandatory quarantine.

According to the Head of State, those found culpable will be quarantined for 11 days and if they continue to disregard the stringent measures, will have their duration extended.

“Ukishikwa, ukivunja hizo regulations, mimi nimesema hakuna haja ya kuwapeleka kwa polisi. Polisi wako na kazi nyingi ya kutulinda sisi…wakiwashika hawa waende waweke hawa kwenye quarantine wakae huko siku kumi na moja…wakivunja sheria tena waongezewe siku zingine kumi na moja,” he said on Wednesday morning.

The President was speaking from State House, Nairobi during a live address on national Swahili radio stations: Radio Citizen, Radio Jambo, Radio Maisha, Milele FM and KBC’s Radio Taifa.

The new regulations require one to maintain a physical distance of not less than a metre from the next person when in a public area.

Users of public or private transport and PSV operators are also required to wear a proper mask that must cover the mouth and nose.

Further, boda boda operators are only allowed to carry one passenger at a time while private vehicles are to avoid carrying more than 50% of licensed capacity.

“A person who commits an offense under these rules shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding Ksh. 20,000 or imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months or both,” the Kenya Gazette Supplement No 41 reads.

On Tueday, it was revealed that police are searching for 50 people who escaped from quarantine at the Kenya Medical Training Centre (KMTC) in Nairobi.

Unknown people caught on video scaling the wall of the Kenya Medical Training College quarantine center on Mbagathi Road, Nairobi pic.twitter.com/cXx71P4WXu

— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) April 21, 2020

Citizen TV established that they were having their evening meal when it started to rain and they saw security officers guarding the premises take cover.

They reportedly took advantage of the situation and jumped out through the fence.

There are fears that they could pose a risk to other Kenyans following the government’s directive that anyone who may have been exposed to COVID-19 be isolated for 14 days.

They were to remain at KMTC under observation by health officials who were monitoring them for symptoms of the virus.

Reports indicate that some of them were still waiting for their COVID-19 test results after samples were taken to the lab.

With regards to mass testing, President Kenyatta said the Health Ministry will conduct target testing particularly in areas such as the Kenya Ports Authority where the number of coronavirus cases reported were high.

He further noted that health workers will also be given priority during the testing.

So far, Kenya has 296 coronavirus cases: 74 have recovered and 14 have died from the disease.