By Faith Nyasuguta
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has lifted the nationwide dusk-to-dawn curfew effective immediately.
Uhuru made the announcement on Wednesday as Kenya celebrated the 58th Mashujaa (Heroes) Day celebrations at the Wang’uru Stadium in Kirinyaga county.
“I hereby order that the nationwide dusk to dawn curfew that has been in effect from 2020 be vacated with immediate effect,” Uhuru announced amid rapturous applause from those in attendance.
Among the groups that had passionately appealed to the President to lift the curfew were the restaurant operators.
The Pubs, Entertainment, and Restaurants Association of Kenya (PERAK) revealed that the entertainment sector has been sidelined as others benefit from the relaxed Covid-19 containment measures in the nation.
PERAK Nairobi Chapter chairman Frank Mbogo said players in the sector are convinced that it is time to bring a halt to the curfew and other restrictions that have sparked job losses in the entertainment sector.
For over three weeks, Covid-19 infection rates in Kenya have been below five per cent over and rising vaccinations have given hope that the pandemic could slow down substantially.
“There has been a rapid increase in vaccinations across the country and there is an evident effort to not only get more vaccines in the country but to get them to more people,” said Michael Muthami, PERAK national chairman.
Muthami indicated that many bar and restaurant operators continue to suffer harassment at the hands of the police as they enforce the protocols.
“The entertainment sector remains the only one facing restrictions as all other sectors are open. Matatus are operating at full capacity, supermarkets and other markets are open and churches are open and functioning normally,” said Muthami.
