•Public officers serving in senior ranks (Job Group T and above) are designated as providers of critical services.
Media houses have been added to the list of organisations offering essential and critical services in the wake of Covid-19.
Organisations offering essential services are exempt from the 7pm-5am curfew President Uhuru Kenyatta declared begins on Friday.
The Media Owners Association of Kenya had earlier urged CS Mutahi Kagwe to add media outlets to the list of organisations offering essential services.
In a letter dated March 23, the association said the industry is going through a difficult period of uncertainty and the government needs to categorise media outlets as essential service providers.
“This will enable the media to continue with the critical public mandate of providing information and education to the public,” MOA chairman Wachira Waruru said.
He added that a representative from the association should be included as a member of the National Emergency Response Committee and the Business Emergency Response Center.
The letter to CS Kagwe was endorsed by 16 media outlets
President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday ordered public and state officers above the age of 58 to either take leave or work from home in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
This excludes workers who provide essential services.
Health CS Mutahi Kagwe had also earlier said that Kenyans should stay home unless they offer essential services.
Who falls under worker providing essential services?
Public officers serving in senior ranks (Job Group T and above) are designated as providers of critical services.
Essential services include those that may endanger the health and safety of part or whole of the population if interrupted.
All Agencies undertaking direct and ancillary services in the water, health, security, air traffic control and civil aviation, fire services, ports, financial and transport sectors are essential services.
The directive to work home is in line with the circular issued to the Public Service on March 16.
Here is a full list of organisations classified as offering essential services:
- Medical professionals and health workers
- National security, administration and co-ordination officers
- Public Health and sanitation officers in the county governments
- Licensed pharmacies and drug stores
- Licensed broadcasters and media houses
- Kenya Power
- Food dealers, distributors, wholesalers and transporters of farm produce
- Licensed supermarkets, mini-markets and hypermarkets
- Licensed distributors and retailers of petroleum and oil products and lubricants
- Licensed telecommunication operators and service providers
- Licensed banks, financial institutions and payment financial services
- Fire brigade and other emergency response services
- Licensed security firms