This archive report was first published on 24 December 2021.
On Thursday, the Ministry of Health in partnership with Nairobi Metropolitan services undertook a mass Covid-19 vaccination campaign at Nairobi's Central Business district, in a bid to cushion Kenyans from contracting the virus in the wake of the Omicron variant spread.
Long queues were witnessed at vaccination centres as Kenyans rushed to get the COVID-19 jab following a government directive requiring Public Service Vehicles and hotel operators to demand proof of vaccination from their clients.
The mass vaccination exercise was undertaken at Kencom Bus stage and Kenya National Archives, with officials from the ministry of health calling on Kenyans who have not taken the jab to do so and help the country win the war against the pandemic.
According to Lilian Mutua, head of health promotion at NMS, the ministry of health is keen to vaccinate those who have not received a single dose or second dose before Christmas day.
However, Amnesty International Kenya has expressed concerns over the government's move, terming it a violation of basic constitutional rights and counterproductive in addressing public skepticism.
Amnesty International Kenya Executive Director Irungu Houghton stated that rather than coercing Kenyans to get vaccinated, the government should expand strategic information and vaccination points at all transport hubs, bus stops, airports, places of worship among other places to increase the uptake of the vaccine.
