This archive report was first published on 21 June 2020.
Published on June 21, 2020, a group of long-distance truck drivers were stranded in Mai Mahiu town, a hotspot for Covid-19, after spending five nights by the roadside.
Motorcycle operators brought in more drivers to the trading centre, which is located 30 kilometres from Naivasha town, where tens of trucks occupied every available space as the drivers waited to get tested for Covid-19.
According to Nakuru's Health executive, Kariuki Gichuki, the drivers pose a major threat to the fight against the spread of the disease, as they interact freely with the town's residents.
"At the moment, the laboratory has run out of testing kits, and this leaves residents at risk as they freely mingle with the drivers," Gichuki added.
Naivasha Sub-county Commissioner Mbogo Mathioya blamed the drivers for the current virus caseload, saying some of the truckers travelled from Mombasa without Covid-19 certificates, which has strained the limited facilities in Mai Mahiu.
"From now, any driver arriving from Mombasa without the certificate will be forced to turn back as the ICD only targets drivers coming to collect goods destined for nearby countries," Mathioya said.
The mobile testing laboratory had been relocated from Mai Mahiu town to its outskirts, with the commissioner stating that it was creating anxiety among area residents.
