Kenyans will have to bear a further 21 days of dusk to dawn curfew first imposed in March by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
In his much-awaited State of the Nation address on Saturday, he said that with advice from the National Emergency Response Committee on Coronavirus (NERCC), the curfew continues until June 6 awaiting further determination.
Cessation of movement in the counties of Mandera, Mombasa, Nairobi, Kilifi and Kwale will also go for a further 21 days.
The president also imposed cession of movement of persons and passengers ferrying automobiles, except cargo vehicles between the Kenya-Tanzania and Kenya-Somalia border effective midnight May 16.
He defended his decision along the borders citing that 43 cases reported in the past week were from the country’s borders in Wajir (14), Isebania (10), Namanga (16), Lungalunga (2), Loitoktok (1).
He also said that all cargo drivers entering Kenya from its borders must ascertain that they are COVID-19 negative so as to be allowed to enter Kenya.
Uhuru added that 49 more people tested positive on Saturday bringing the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases to 830.
Seventeen more patients were also discharged but five more people died placing the total coronavirus deaths in the country to 50.
A section of Kenyans had hoped that the government would relax some of the measures it has set in taming the novel coronavirus, among them, cessation of movement and lifting of the curfew.
However, Uhuru said that though there is pressure from several quarters for such a decision to be made, it could quickly water down the gains made in taming the fierce spread of the disease.
