This archive report was first published on 9 May 2020.
On May 9, 2020, the government took drastic measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 in identified hotspots, including Nairobi's Eastleigh and Mombasa's Old Town.
As part of these measures, street hawking has been prohibited in these areas, with Health Chief Administrative Secretary Rashid Aman stating that all gatherings have also been banned.
Markets, malls, and eateries are expected to remain closed during the containment period, with Aman warning that restaurants flouting reopening guidelines risk having their licenses revoked.
He expressed concern over the tendency of businesses to operate in disregard of social distancing guidelines, citing instances of fully packed malls and supermarkets in Nairobi.
‘We have observed, in most urban centers, that life has come back to almost normal. It does worry us that we are thinking that we are in a state of normalcy, we’re not,’ Aman stated during the daily briefing on COVID-19.
