Gov’t mulls banning consumption of alcohol in public spaces over COVID-19

That some Kenyans have been flouting directives meant to curtail COVID-19 is an understatement.

In the recent weeks some partakers of alcohol have been captured on video camera or arrested in bars, clubs and restaurants merrying without masks and observing the health and safety guidelines.

And after expressing concerns and issuing warnings, the government is now proposing punitive rules by banning the sale of alcohol to sit in customers in business establishments

According to the proposed COVID-19 rules, sale of alcoholic drinks rules, 2020, restaurants, eateries, bars, food courts, entertainment joints, supermarkets, wines & spirits shops will only sale take away drinks.

Kenyans caught on camera merrying in bars and restaurants were doing so during the night, some drinking up to 5am.

The government says such actions have provided fodder for the spread of the highly contagious virus.

The ministry of health wants such acts to stop and in the proposed law, establishments selling alcoholic drinks will do so between 9.00am and 7.30pm.

Anyone found contravening this rule will have committed an offence.

To ensure that no one buys alcohol in a restaurant and then sits down to have it, the ministry is proposing that consumption of any alcoholic drink in a public place during this COVID – 19 period is banned…..

The draft says that anybody who commits an offence under these Rules shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding twenty thousand shillings or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months or both.

The government is seeking ways of ensuring the spread of virus is cut significantly with bar activities classified among the fuelers of the fast spreading disease….

Kenya continued to experience increased numbers in terms of infections with 397 confirmed cases reported on Tuesday out of the 3,637 samples tested, this raising the number of total infections in the country to 14,168.

Nairobi county still leads with 239 new infections, followed by Kiambu with 33, Machakos 27, Nyeri 17, Busia 16, Nakuru 12 and Mombasa 12.

The number of deaths reported on Tuesday was 12, pushing the total number of deaths to 250.

However, 642 patients were discharged having recovered from the virus.