Natembeya: Police to tighten grip on enforcement of Covid-19 protocols

All burial ceremonies in the Rift Valley region will be conducted in the presence of a chief or an assistant chief.

According to George Natembeya, the regional commissioner, the administrators will by default perform the roles of masters of ceremony at the burials to ensure that families burying their loved ones adhered to Covid-19 protocols.

Addressing a press conference in Nakuru County on Friday, Natembeya said that the decision was arrived at as a way of ensuring full compliance with the Ministry of Health measures amid the rising number of infections in the region. 

“Henceforth, Chiefs and their assistants shall be the MCs during burial ceremonies to ensure they are brief and the number of attendees is capped at 100. All unnecessary speeches shall not be allowed,” said Natembeya. 

He warned the administrators of dire consequences should there be reports of a funeral attended by more than 100 people as directed by President Uhuru Kenyatta last week. 

“If I get a report that a funeral is being conducted and attended by over 100 people, the entire security team in that area starting with the county commissioner shall have a case to answer,” he said. 

He added that chiefs should strictly ensure that bodies are interred within 72 hours and report any family that fails to comply. 

“As a chief you are notified when death occurs. This means you are aware of when 72 hours period will lapse and the burial must be conducted failure to which such persons should be acted upon,” said Natembeya. 

Natembeya issued a stern warning to police officers allowing movement of vehicles beyond curfew hours especially in the centrally located Nakuru County. 

"For vehicles to get to North Rift and Western Kenya they have to pass Nakuru. I have given Nakuru County Police commander strict instructions that this trend be brought to an end beginning tonight," said Natembeya. 

He added that corrupt officers taking bribes from matatu drivers will be dealt with and shall take personal responsibility for incidents where they are found culpable of allowing movement at a fee. 

Rift Valley Regional Commissioner George Natembeya. [Harun Wathari, Standard]

"Some officers have the habit of increasing their corrupt demands from matatus instead of enforcing the law. This shall not be tolerated. Our eyes are on them and they will have themselves to blame," he said. 

He said that roadblocks will be erected between Turbo in Uasin Gishu and Kinungi in Nakuru County shall be manned by a multi-agency team to ensure discipline in the enforcement. 

"Each roadblock shall have officers from Kenya Police, Administration Police, Kenya Prisons, Directorate of Criminal Investigations and National Intelligence Service. They shall be active throughout the curfew hours," said Natembeya. 

He added that there shall be routine check on commercial premises in the region to ensure they comply with the guidelines given by the Ministry of Health.

“We managed the first wave properly because people were wearing masks and sanitizing hands. There shall be serious repercussions for flouting these regulations including building owners and occupants who don’t provide water for sanitizing hands,” he said.

Natembeya instructed the police to enforce shutting down of such premises in conjunction with public health officers where business operators are found culpable

“The police have the mandate to confiscate business permits and licenses to operators who don’t comply. There shall not be grace period for compliance since these are directives issued last year,” he said.

Natembeya also disallowed all public gatherings in the region saying that tough actions shall be taken against politicians known to be notorious in conducting meetings in disregard to the measures.

“It doesn’t matter whether you are a government officer or a senior politician. All kinds of meetings are banned for the next thirty days. Whether a civil servant or an elected leader, we all have to comply,” he said.

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