This archive report was first published on 18 May 2020.
Kenya Closes Borders with Tanzania and Somalia Amid COVID-19 Outbreak ¶
Kenya has taken drastic measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 by closing its borders with Tanzania and Somalia, effective from midnight on May 16, 2020. The move aims to curb the increasing number of imported cases, with 43 positive cases recorded in the last week.
President Uhuru Kenyatta announced the closure, stating that only truck drivers who test negative for COVID-19 will be allowed entry into Kenya. The President emphasized that all drivers of cargo vehicles will be subjected to mandatory COVID-19 testing and will only be granted entry if they test negative.
The closure of borders comes as the East African region grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic. The region has seen a surge in cases, with over 300,000 lives lost globally and 4.7 million people infected. The East African Community (EAC) is working out modalities to determine aspects such as the free movement of goods across the bloc without compromising individual states' vulnerability to the pandemic.
Kenya shares borders with Tanzania at Namanga, Sirare, Lungalunga, and Horohoro. The country has confirmed 49 new cases, 14 recoveries, and 5 deaths, with 14 Kenyan truck drivers among the 43 new COVID-19 cases in Uganda.
President Kenyatta noted that out of the 43 imported cases, 14 were recorded in Wajir, 16 in Namanga, two in Lunga Lunga, and one in Loitoktok. He emphasized that if no action is taken, all the gains achieved in combating the pandemic will be lost.
