This archive report was first published on 11 May 2020.
On April 28, the Kenyan government allowed restaurants to reopen under strict terms, including mandatory body temperature checks and social distancing measures.
However, the initial testing fee for workers ranging between Sh2,000-4,000 was deemed costly by the sector's players.
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe had informed Parliament's Committee on Delegated Legislation that restaurant owners would pay between Sh2,000 to Sh4,000 for each member of staff for mandatory COVID-19 tests before re-opening.
But now, Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala has announced that the cost for testing for the businesses will be Sh1,000, citing the need to support the economy.
“The cost for testing for the businesses will be Sh1,000 from the actual cost of testing of up to Sh1,000 because we want to support the economy,” said Balala.
He added that the guidelines earlier issued by the Ministry of Health for the hotels to reopen remain unchanged, with stakeholders expected to come up with internal measures to guide their specific operations in relation to curbing the spread of the coronavirus.
“All eateries seeking to reopen to access the protocols as published by the MOH which have not been revised and we have also agreed that every establishment will develop their standard operational procedures which will be compliant to the protocols,” Balala said.
