This archive report was first published on 8 May 2020.
On May 8, 2020, a Matatu driver in Kenya took a bold step to prevent the spread of COVID-19. He intercepted passengers from Kilifi County, one of the five counties under a cessation of movement order due to a high number of COVID-19 cases.
The driver, who ferried the passengers from Kitui to Embu, overheard one of them talking on the phone, saying they were almost reaching Embu after traveling from Kilifi. This sparked his concern, as he recalled that Kilifi was under partial shutdown due to the Corona pandemic.
‘“A passenger said on the phone that he was almost reaching Embu from Kilifi. I recalled that Kilifi is on partial shutdown due to Corona and I feared that I may have been exposed by those passengers and would infect my family and the community. I called the Neno Sacco office which then reported to the police,” Daniel Kariuki, the Matatu driver, told The Standard.
Authorities were immediately alerted and rushed to the bus terminus to intercept the passengers. They are set to be tested for COVID-19 at the Embu KMTC before being quarantined for 14 days. A senior government official stated that the passengers will be charged with disobeying a government order after the 14 days.
“After the mandatory quarantine, the two passengers will be prosecuted for travelling from Kilifi without authorisation from the government. The State has imposed a travel restriction in Kilifi County to curb the spread of Covid-19. This pandemic is real and is killing,” the official said.
