Yes, punish heavily those who flout coronavirus rules to secure public

The arrest of Kilifi Deputy Governor Gideon Saburi should a stern warning to Kenyans breaking the law that supports measures to curb the spread of coronavirus. These are tough times and every Kenyan should support government measures to contain the virus. The deputy governor came back to Kenya from Germany and instead of going into self-isolation, he went to meet different people, an action that could have exposed a significant number to Covid-19. The virus is now spreading like wildfire with Coast region being among the hotspots.

The government should not relent on its actions against people who willfully put other Kenyans at risk. It is not only unethical but also illegal to defy measures that could protect fellow Kenyans from the coronavirus. Self-isolation is a requirement of the law for every citizen who suspects that they might have been exposed to the disease that has so far infected over one million people globally and killed over 50,000.

In Kenya, 122 people have been confirmed to have the virus just three weeks after the first case was reported. And government has warned the numbers could grow exponentially if Kenyans do not change social tendencies. With a fledgling healthcare system, we cannot, as a country, afford to let free people who thoughtlessly expose others. And this is sad to note that even some of those who have exposed others are religious leaders from whom lessons on obedience should be drawn.

This cannot be allowed because, as we have said in the past, religion exists within a State. We therefore urge citizens to follow government orders so life can get back to normal. We should not wish for a long-drawn period of fire-fighting which will be detrimental to Kenya’s socio-economic fabric. We are already in this and it is best to cooperate and prevent further damage that could arise from risque and careless  behaviour. How we act will determine the trajectory coronavirus takes.