Uhuru asks Muslims to pray for Kenya as Ramadhan begins

President Uhuru Kenyatta (pictured) has urged Muslims and other Kenyans of various faiths to pray for Kenya during Ramadhan.

As Muslims across the globe marked the beginning of the holy month, Uhuru admitted that "these are challenging times".

"It is impossible to ignore the unusual circumstances under which we find ourselves. The whole world stands united against the Covid-19 pandemic."

In a statement on Friday, the President asked Muslims to embrace measures put in place to prevent further spread of coronavirus.

"As has been said before, if we behave normally in this period, this disease will treat us abnormally."

He cautioned against large gatherings and called for regularly washing of hands with soap and water, and maintaining social distancing.

"I am optimistic that we will overcome this challenge but we must make necessary sacrifices... I believe that we shall see the end of coronavirus in Kenya and begin to rebuild our businesses and economy once more."

Uhuru further asked Kenyans to mind the less fortunate and vulnerable as the pandemic rages.

"As I wish you all a blessed Ramadan, let me thank all our doctors, nurses, clinical officers, researchers, emergency teams and indeed, all our frontline personnel for their selfless service in combating the coronavirus pandemic."

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health on Thursday reported 17 new coronavirus cases in the country, bringing the total number of cases in Kenya to 320.

Health CAS Mercy Mwangangi noted that curfew and travel restrictions had yielded result in the fight against the pandemic and urged Kenyans not to stigmatise those in quarantine and those who have recovered from the virus.

“Contracting coronavirus is not a crime, all of us have a potential risk of contracting the disease,” Dr Mercy Mwangangi said, adding that being quarantined was neither detention nor punishment for it was meant to serve the greater public good. On the incubation period, which is the time between exposure to the virus and symptoms onset, Dr Mwangangi said Covid-19 was a new disease and medics were still studying it.