This archive report was first published on 20 May 2020.
On May 20, 2020, the Red Cross sounded the alarm over the increasing number of people evading COVID-19 restrictions in the Mt Kenya region, citing laxity by police officers at the Thika road block.
Gitonga Mugambi, the Red Cross's Mt Kenya Regional Manager, accused the police of accepting bribes from travelers, allowing them to bypass restrictions and potentially spread the virus in the region.
According to Mugambi, he witnessed a traveler pay Sh. 1,000 to a police officer at the Thika road block, allowing them to continue their journey.
“Though we appreciate the good work most of our police officers do while enforcing the law on the corona virus, there are a few who are openly soliciting money from desperate travelers especially those destined for Mt Kenya region which if unchecked will leave the entire region highly exposed to the pandemic,” Mugambi said.
The Red Cross official noted that the laxity was not only affecting the fight against COVID-19 but also putting the entire region at risk.
With a positive COVID-19 case reported in Meru County, Mugambi warned that the region was no longer safe and urgent measures should be taken to contain the spread of the virus.
