This archive report was first published on 6 May 2020.
On May 6, 2020, Narok County Governor Samuel Tunai made the decision to close all open-air markets indefinitely, just a week after they were reopened. The move was prompted by allegations that traders failed to meet the laid-down regulations to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to Governor Tunai, most of the traders who visited the markets were from neighboring counties with confirmed cases of Covid-19, posing a high risk to the residents. He emphasized the importance of adhering to basic health measures such as frequent handwashing, social distancing, and wearing face masks.
Narok County Commissioner Samuel Kimiti stated that there were no confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the county at the time, but the county was taking precautions to maintain the status quo.
"The team that we sent to monitor the markets reported that the residents did not adhere to the basics like frequently washing their hands, keeping social distances and putting on face masks. This is very dangerous considering most of the traders are from neighboring Kajiado and Nakuru counties where we have had confirmed cases of Covid-19," said Tunai.
