Curfew extended as school resumes tomorrow

Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha addresses the media during a media briefing by the multi-agency team led by Cabinet Secretary for education briefing on reopening of schools at the KICC, Nairobi on 3d January 2021. [David Gichuru, Standard]

President Uhuru Kenyatta has extended the nationwide nighttime curfew, saying it will guarantee the safety of learners as schools reopen tomorrow -- some 10 months after closure due to Covid-19 pandemic.

The restriction on movement between 10:00pm to 4:00am will be extended to March 12, 2021, Uhuru said in an Executive Order on Sunday. 

The order also extended other virus containment measures. 

Public events and gatherings which may act as ‘super spreader’ events for the virus, including political and roadside gatherings or meetings will remain suspended for the next 60 days.

However, funerals or burials and weddings, which shall be conducted with prior approval and with the number of persons being capped at a maximum of 150 persons will be given the green light, the president added. 

"Whereas the general directions governing religious gatherings shall remain unchanged, any indoor religious gathering other than for the purpose of a wedding or funeral, shall be conducted in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Inter-Faith Council and with all other applicable Ministry of Health guidelines and protocols remaining in force," the Executive Order read. 

The guidelines are a culmination of deliberations between stakeholders in the Ministry of Health (MoH), Council of Governor (CoG), the National Emergency Response Committee on Coronavirus and others to guarantee a safe return to school.