Rural Kenyans observe measures to curb spread of coronavirus

With the Kenyan government issuing strict measures to curb the spread of coronavirus, even as the numbers continue to increase rural dwellers and officers are keenly observing imposed directives to ensure the pandemic does not find its way into villages, where the impact could be disastrous.

A close-check has been adopted at Kithyoko market in Machakos County. All shops have placed water and soap at entrances and every customer must wash their hands before entering. Others have sanitizer for customers to use before entering the shop.

Daniel Nzomo, senior assistant chief at Kithyoko Sub-Location, said he is working closely with the Nyuma Kumi initiative, a strategy of anchoring community policing at various levels including household, market, and estate, to ensure health and government directives on controlling the coronavirus are keenly observed.

Nzomo said on Sundays he visits all churches in his sub-location to ensure they are closed and no gatherings are taking place.

Every day at 7 pm, he patrols all the shopping centers accompanied by the police and community policing to make sure the dusk-to-dawn curfew is observed.

“We are discouraging idling in shopping centers and markets. If a person has to visit a market, they must pick whatever they need, and leave immediately. We are encouraging people to stay at home in order to ensure the virus does not spread,” Nzomo said.

He said it would be disastrous if the virus spread to the villages, which are less-developed, have high rates of poverty and a large elderly population, most of who have terminal diseases and are the demographic most susceptible to contracting coronavirus.

On burial ceremonies, he said they are only allowing 15 family members to attend and every attendee must wear masks and social distancing must be observed. The service must take less than one hour.

In a recently held burial ceremony in Mwatungo village, he said the service took 40 minutes and few family members were allowed to attend. The deceased was not a victim of coronavirus.

“Two sons of the diseased sneaked in from Nairobi to attend the burial. One of them went back when he learned we were looking for him, while we have put the other one on a 14-day self-quarantine under close observation by health officers. We are making sure nobody is coming to the villages from the most affected cities,” Nzomo said.

Mary Chebet, a resident of Kabsabet in Nandi County, said villagers are keenly observing the measures of controlled movement, hand washing and wearing masks while in public places. There is also a mandatory self-quarantine for people travelling from affected counties.

She said the entry gate of Kapsabet town is strictly regulated by the municipality to ensure everybody entering the town washes their hands, and nobody is entering through the exit gate.

“The secondhand clothes market has been closed, the number of people entering the market is controlled and shops have soap and water at the entrance. The county government has provided free soaps,” Chebet said.

On Saturday President Uhuru Kenyatta extended the nationwide curfew by 21 days as well as cessation of movement in and out of the Nairobi metropolitan area and the counties of Kilifi, Mombasa and Kwale, which are most affected by the pandemic.

Kenyatta appealed to Kenyans to adhere to the measures that have been put in place by the government and assured the nation the economy will reopen soon.

He said the country's security agencies will upgrade their alert and response measures in every border area to keep the government’s response to the coronavirus from being compromised.

Kenyatta said so far 343 people have been infected, 14 have died and 98 have recovered.