Kwale County has been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, with Governor Salim Mvurya revealing that 67% of the county's population has been affected.
According to Mvurya, the tourism industry has suffered greatly due to the pandemic, with over 6,000 hotel workers losing their jobs. To mitigate the effects, the county has taken steps to support those affected, including distributing foodstuff worth Sh14.5 million to vulnerable families.
The county has also built a COVID-19 centre at the Msambweni Hospital and continues to test and quarantine people, including at its borders with Tanzania and Mombasa County.
Additionally, Mvurya thanked the national government for initiating the National Hygiene Programme, dubbed 'Kazi Mtaani', which has engaged 1,000 youth from Matuga and Msambweni sub-counties. He requested that the programme be expanded to include youth from Lunga Lunga and Kinango sub-counties in the second phase.
Principal Secretaries Charles Hinga and Andrew Kamau praised Kwale County for emerging as the best among the eight counties in the Kazi Mtaani programme, citing its effective implementation and progress.
