This archive report was first published on 6 July 2020.
On July 6, 2020, President Uhuru Kenyatta announced the end of cessation of movement in the country, citing progress made in handling the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen has taken issue with this decision, expressing concerns that it could lead to a surge in infections.
Murkomen, who took to Twitter to express his displeasure, stated that the ease of movement in and out of Nairobi and Mombasa would 'multiply the infections 10 times.' He also expressed worry about the impact on older folks in the countryside.
President Kenyatta had announced the decision to end the cessation of movement in his sixth public address since the first case of COVID-19 was reported in the country. He noted that the decision was made after consulting with the Council of Governors, education stakeholders, and religious leaders, and that the country had made significant progress in handling the pandemic.
However, Murkomen's concerns were echoed by President Kenyatta's own words, who asked, 'Have we as a country met the irreducible minimum? Are we ready to open?' The President also acknowledged that the country was not yet prepared one hundred percent across the counties.
