This archive report was first published on 16 May 2020.
On May 16, 2020, a section of hotels in Nairobi's Central Business District (CBD) expressed hope that President Uhuru Kenyatta would ease COVID-19 containment measures, which have negatively impacted businesses. The measures include a nationwide dusk-to-dawn curfew and cessation of movement into and out of Nairobi, Mombasa, Kilifi, and Mandera, four counties identified as hotspots in the spread of the highly contagious virus.
Major eateries in Nairobi, including Java coffee shop and Pronto, a popular eatery, reopened for sit-down meals under government-sanctioned social distancing regulations. Java coffee shop announced the opening of five outlets on Saturday, while Pronto reopened two of its branches. The outlets are located at ABC Place, Lavington, Sarit Centre, Mbagathi Way, and Lenana Road.
Rebecca Nduta, a hotel staff at Pronto Restaurant, expressed hope that the business would improve once the curfew ends and the President comes up with something positive for the business. Elkanah Wanyonyi, a staffer at another branch, stated that the hotel was complying with the health guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and was hopeful that business would improve over time.
President Kenyatta's address comes amid a near resumption of normalcy in Nairobi, with most city roads experiencing increased traffic.
