This archive report was first published on 5 May 2020.
Published on May 5, 2020, Mombasa has been recording high COVID-19 cases in recent weeks, with 158 cases reported by Monday, as the country's caseload hit 490.
The coastal city is among the five counties implementing a cessation of movement to prevent the spread of the virus.
Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho, Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir, and Mombasa County Commissioner Gilbert Kitiyo volunteered for COVID-19 tests, a move aimed at encouraging locals to take the test.
Earlier, there was uproar in the town after Joho, Nassir, and Kitiyo threatened to force Old Town residents to undergo forceful testing for COVID-19.
"We are not taking any chances because we must save our people," Joho said in a recent interview.
"The governor cannot force us to be tested. He should come here and lead from the front," some Old Town residents said before Joho took the test.
"We will not let you down. If you are positive, we will support you," Joho said.
Kitiyo assured residents that public health officials would look into several factors before someone is taken to a government facility for mandatory quarantine.
