Bars open for business as Uhuru extends daily curfew for 60 days

President Uhuru Kenyatta has announced an extension of the daily dusk-to-dawn curfew for an additional 60 days to avert the spread of the coronavirus.

The curfew time has however been adjusted from 9pm to 11 pm with directives expected to take effect  from Tuesday, September 29.

“The daily dusk-to-dawn curfew will therefore run from 11pm to 4am in the morning,” President Kenyatta said.

The prohibition against the operation of bars and the prohibition against the sale of alcoholic drinks by ordinary restaurants and eateries has been lifted effective Tuesday, September 29.

“Mnaweza kukunywa pombe, sawa (you can now consume alcohol),”President Kenyatta said.

Closing time for all bars and restaurants has been moved to 10pm daily; restaurants will be required to adhere strictly to the COVID-19 containment measures.

The new guidelines will also see church gatherings hold up to a third of their normal capacity.

Places of worship will  be required to adhere to all the applicable guidelines provided by the Ministry of Health.

At the same time, the number of people attending ceremonies such as funerals and weddings has also been reviewed upwards from 100 people to 200.

President Kenyatta was speaking at the KICC on Monday during a COVID-19 conference that preceded the 12th presidential address on the situation of COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

The conference was attended by among others; members of the cabinet, Chief Justice David Maraga, ODM leader Raila Odinga, senators, MPS and church leaders.

During his address, President Kenyatta expressed optimism that the fight against the virus had borne fruits but warned against laxity saying:

“Experience has taught us that we are most vulnerable & fragile at the moment we think we have won…if we have won one battle against COVID-19 we have not yet won the war, the possibility of a second wave of this pandemic is real as we have seen in other countries”