This archive report was first published on 20 April 2020.
Published on April 20, 2020, Nairobi — The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a new turn in Kenya's Eastleigh neighborhood, with the abrupt closure of all malls and shops.
The Eastleigh Business District Community made the decision to combat the spread of the virus in the area, citing the need to avoid panic shopping by residents.
According to Omar Hussein, the Community's Secretary General, the closure was intended to prevent residents from rushing to buy essential items, thereby reducing the risk of transmission.
As a result, hundreds of shops have been closed, and daily transactions valued at an estimated Sh2 billion have been halted.
Kenya's Interior Cabinet Secretary, Fred Matiang'i, has warned of intensified enforcement measures to limit the communal spread of the virus.
With 246 cases and 11 deaths recorded so far, the government is taking drastic measures to contain the outbreak.
Kenya's Kamukunji MP, Yusuf Hassan, has announced that GSU Contingents will be deployed to Eastleigh to ensure a total lockdown, stating, "If the security measures fail, the government would have no choice but to put Eastleigh under total lockdown."
