President Uhuru Kenyatta has announced an extension of the nationwide curfew by another 30 days.
However, the President relaxed the curfew hours which will now be between 9 pm to 4 am from June 7, 2020.
In accordance with the advice of the National Security Council, the President also extended the cessation of movement into and out of the Nairobi Metropolitan Area, Mombasa and Mandera counties by another 30 days.
However, speaking at State House, Nairobi on Saturday, Uhuru announced the lifting of the cessation of movement in Kwale and Kilifi counties from June 7, 2020, at 4 am.
The President also lifted the cessation of movement into and out of Eastleigh and Old Town from June 7, 2020, at 4 am.
The President said opinion was divided by his team of experts on whether or not to open the economy.
“We must accept that we are not dealing with a right or wrong opinion we are caught in between two rights. Those who want to open the economy are right and those opposed to opening the economy are also right,” he said.
“We must speak truthfully to each other. The rate of infection in Kenya would have been very high had we not taken the measures we took.”
Uhuru said that if the country had not taken the measures the rate of infections would have peaked and by the end of August approximately 75,000 Kenyans would have lost their lives with over 800,000 infections.
The President also announced the ban on all gatherings will also be extended for another one month while the gradual reopening of schools is now set to commence on September 1, 2020.
The President also extended international travel restrictions due to what he termed as the ‘evolving nature of the disease globally’.
“In the meantime, the Ministry of Transport is directed within seven days from the date hereof, to engage all Key Stakeholders and develop protocols to guide resumption of local air travel,” he said.
The President said the country’s coronavirus infections now stand at 2, 600 after 126 new infections were recorded in the last 24 hours.
The country’s incidence had spiked to 3.1 per cent from 2.1 per cent since the last extension.
Before the last extension on May 16, the country had tested 39,018 cases, with 830 of them turning positive at an infection rate of 2.13 per cent.
Since then, the country has recorded 1,510 new cases after 46,333 new tests, resulting in an infection rate of 3.1 per cent.
Just before this announcement, the country’s total stood at 2,474 cases out of 90, 875 tests done.
