This archive report was first published on 7 May 2020.
As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to spread globally, Kenya's Council of Governors has urged the national government to close the country's borders to contain the disease.
The call comes amid rising cases of local transmission and importation of the virus from neighboring countries, including Tanzania, Uganda, and Somalia.
According to the Council of Governors, nine counties that border other countries have quarantined 205 people and tested 249 for the disease in the last one week.
Chairman Wycliffe Oparanya noted that the border issue falls under government functions, and governors cannot compel leaders in other countries to take action.
However, Governor Oparanya urged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to come up with a protocol for dealing with neighboring countries, which will only allow limited access to contain the disease.
"It is the responsibility of the national government because there are protocols on how to deal with foreign countries. We hope we can scale up the issue with the National Coordinating Committee," he said in Machakos County on Wednesday.
Other governors, including Joseph ole Lenku of Kajiado and Mohammed Kuti of Isiolo, also called for the closure of borders with Tanzania, Somalia, and Uganda to flatten the infection curve.
As of May 7, 2020, Tanzania had at least 480 confirmed Covid-19 cases, Uganda had 100, and Somalia had 873.
