This archive report was first published on 17 June 2020.
On June 16, 2020, the government announced an extension of restaurant operating hours to 7:30pm, a move aimed at supporting the sector's compliance with COVID-19 protocols.
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe made the announcement, citing ongoing discussions between restaurant owners and the National Emergency Response Committee (NERC) on COVID-19.
According to CS Kagwe, the extension was granted due to the continued compliance of restaurants with government directives on combating the spread of the disease.
CS Kagwe directed Public Health officials to conduct regular inspections of the facilities, warning that any operator found flouting the guidelines would have their licenses and certificates revoked.
"I recently informed you that there were ongoing consultations between restaurant owners and NERC on restaurant hours of business, appreciating that they have indeed been following the rules and observing the protocols," CS Kagwe said.
"Arising out of those discussions and reflecting on restaurant behavior, NERC has directed that the hours of business for restaurants will be extended to 7:30pm. This will allow the workers in restaurants, most of whom are actually being housed by the restaurant owners themselves within the hotels, enough time to beat the curfew hours," he added.
CS Kagwe also stated that restaurant workers would only be tested once before opening and not subjected to any other test after the 14-day period unless the establishment failed to follow protocol or an employee showed symptoms of the virus.
Bars, however, remain closed, with CS Kagwe maintaining that the decision was based on the need to prevent the spread of the disease.
