This archive report was first published on 5 August 2020.
Kenya's government has eased a recent directive on the sale of alcohol in hotels, allowing establishments to sell drinks to their guests in their rooms.
The decision was made by Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala, who clarified that hotels, lodges, and resorts can serve alcohol to their checked-in clients on a room service basis.
However, the sale of alcohol in public areas within hotels remains prohibited.
According to a circular dated August 4, 2020, addressed to the Kenya Association of Hotel Keepers and Caterers CEO Michael Macharia, the President's announcement on the sale of alcohol was clear that it should not be sold to the public in hotels/restaurants to mitigate the spread of Covid-19.
On July 27, President Uhuru Kenyatta had banned the sale of alcoholic drinks in all restaurants across the country and directed that all bars remain closed indefinitely to slow down the rising rate of Covid-19 transmission.
