NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 10 – Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has warned bodaboda operators that they will be banned from operating for flouting COVID-19 regulations.
The operators are required to wear masks at all times and carry one passenger at a time, but Kagwe said the regulations were not being adhered to.
“If you disobey the regulations, your boda boda will be taken [away] until further notice, so there is no absolute reason why you would want this to happen because the masks are available all over the country,” he said.
The CS asked operators who are complying to make sure their colleagues are also complying saying they all risk losing business if the trend continues.
“Unfortunately, when you are closing a sector everybody loses business, it’s not only the bad ones who lose, so, in this case, be your brother’s keeper and ensure that the next bodaboda is obeying the law,” said Kagwe.
Kagwe also urged salons, barber shop operators to always put on masks and restrict the number of clients to avoid congestion which is a high risk for infections.
He asked all those in the Jua Kali sector and small scale businesses including vegetable vendors to take extra caution when dealing with clients as they are at risk of contracting the virus.
“Assume that everybody is positive and deal with the situation. The person next to you is positive… the person holding that sukumawiki is positive,” he said, and added, “This disease is being moved by people it doesn’t move on its own.”
He, however, noted that there was increased compliance by the public, saying majority of Kenyans are observing hygiene and putting on masks.
He also lauded Kenyans for observing the curfew time as well as the travel restrictions.
“People are increasingly coming into the realization that this disease is here with us. This is a gain,” he said.
By Thursday, Kenya had confirmed 184 positive cases and 7 deaths.
About The Author
