COVID-19: Kenya Extends Curfew By Two Months, Lifts Ban on Bars

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Kenyan government led by President Uhuru Kenyatta has extended the nationwide curfew by two months in a bid to curb coronavirus and lifted the ban on bars.

Kenyatta made this declaration on Monday, September 28, after the National Covid-19 Conference that took place at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi.

The time for the curfew has however been changed to 11pm -4am , which will take effect as from Tuesday.

Kenyatta in his statement said the COVID-19 curve has flattened thereby resulting into lifting the ban placed on bars.

The ban on the sale of alcohol by bars and restaurants has been eased, effective Tuesday, but said they must be closed by 10pm.

The President also increased the maximum number of guests at funerals and weddings from 100 to 200 and said that churches can host up to a third of their capacities.

Speaking about the reopening of schools, he stated that, “Learning institutions should only be reopened when we have and can sufficiently guarantee the safety of all our children. Let us not focus on when schools will reopen but on how they will reopen.”

Kenya has had 38,115 cases of the virus and 691 deaths since its first case on March 13. The government had promptly put measures into place to curb the spread of the disease, including shutting schools, closing borders, mandatory mask wearing in public, and a curfew that lasts until 5 a.m.

Those present include: Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga, Chief Justice David Maraga; Amani National Congress leader, Musalia Mudavadi and Council of Governors chair, Wycliffe Oparanya (Kakamega) among others.