NAIROBI—Stubbornness by section of Kenyans and disregard for Ministry of Health guidelines on combating Covid-19 is the biggest impediment to winning the war against the epidemic, President Uhuru’s said on Wednesday.
During a nationwide address through the leading radio stations on Wednesday morning, Uhuru noted that majority of Kenyans are not taking the problem caused by the Coronavirus as seriously as it ought to be taken.
“What we have said is that those breaking the regulations we have given, no need to take them to the police station. Let them be taken to mandatory quarantine. If they break those rules again, take them back. We cannot have a few people erode the efforts we have made,” President Uhuru said.
While reacting to a viral video doing online showing people scaling KMTC perimeter walls to escape quarantine, Uhuru said those who left without completing their duration would be re-arrested and compelled to finish up their period.
“For those that escaped, we will get them and they must finish their quarantine period. We know you and we will find you. You can’t be a burden on law abiding Kenyans if you were found violating curfew measures to tame Covid-19,” he noted.
Uhuru further said the government will continue distribution of the weekly stipends meant to cushion vulnerable Kenyans from the effects of the pandemic.
He appealed to those who feel aggrieved by the distribution of the stipend to report the matter to the media and the government will intervene.
The President also urged donors to advise the government on how the donations will be spent.
Uhuru expressed confidence that the country’s economy will bounce back after the pandemic.
“Even before the coronavirus, there is no day Kenya has failed to pay its debt or salaries of government workers. We will return to our earlier economic position,” he said.
The president stated that the government doesn’t have authority to waive rent arrears for Kenyans, adding that it’s personal property.
