Police authorities have warned matatu operators of arrests and impounding of vehicles following failure to obey the directive by President Uhuru Kenyatta on the dusk to dawn curfew effective today.
The authorities have asked Kenyans to adhere to the directive as the failure will result in arrests and the impounding of vehicles that will be operating.
Speaking during a presser, Rift valley Police Commander Marcus Ocholla has called on drivers and passengers to avoid confrontation ahead of the curfew that begins today.
“Passengers should begin their journey early because we shall not allow anybody to be on the road at 7PM as directed by the president,” said Ocholla.
Read: President Uhuru Announces Daily Curfew From 7 Pm To 5 Am Starting Friday
Ocholla has reiterated that the authorities are well prepared for the curfew, adding that a multi-agency team has been deployed to man highways and roundabouts in a bid to curb Coronavirus spread.
“Heavy deployment has been done to ensure everyone is home from 7PM. We expect all commuters and members of the public to be inside their houses as per guidelines,” he said.
This comes a few days after President Uhuru Kenyatta made the directive in a bid to have netizens stay at home and avoid social gatherings including clubs to prevent COVID-19 spread into the country.
Through a presser on Wednesday, March 25, 2020, Uhuru announced daily curfews effective today, Friday with only essential services exempted.
“Effective Friday 27th March 2020, a daily curfew from 7PM to 5AM, shall be in effect in the territory of the Republic of Kenya, with all movement by persons not authorized to do so or not being medical professionals, health workers, critical and essential services providers, being prohibited between those hours,” he said.
Addressing the nation, the Head of State exempted individuals offering critical services including medical professionals.
Read Also: Dusk-to-dawn Curfew Declared In Narok South Following Tribal Clashes
Others are health workers, National Security, Administration and Coordination officers, Public Health and Sanitization Officers in the County Governments, licensed pharmacies and drug stores, licensed broadcasters and media houses and Kenya Power.
Additionally, more people exempted from the dusk to dawn curfew were food dealers distributors, wholesalers and transporters of farm produce, licensed supermarkets, mini markets and hypermarkets, licensed distributors and retailers of petroleum and oil products and lubricants, licensed telecommunication operators and service providers, licensed banks, financial institutions and payment financial services, fire brigade and other emergency response services and licensed security firms.
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