Traders in Eastleigh will reopen their shops subject to adherence to guidelines by the Health ministry to help contain coronavirus spread.
All shops and malls will be required to have sanitiser and handwash to be allowed to operate.
They must also ensure customers and shopkeepers observe social distancing and that masks be worn at all times.
Eastleigh business community and political leaders met on Sunday and agreed that shop owners strictly observe the rules.
The meeting was led by Garissa Township MP Aden Duale in Nairobi, a day after the traders closed their shops indefinitely.
Malls were closed in efforts to combat Covid-19, a decision that came amid concerns most businesses were not observing the set rules.
Eastleigh business leaders and prominent Somali Muslim scholars used the forum to create awareness on how to prevent the virus' spread.
The National Assembly Majority leader said the community - as well as the business leaders, is “taking a proactive approach to ensure the safety of Kenyans”.
“The Eastleigh business community is working closely with county and national health emergency Covid-19 committee to closely monitor the situation and provide updates as soon as they can in areas where they predominantly reside,” he said in a statement.
“We applaud the bold step taken by the business community in closing down businesses to combat the spread of Covid-19,” Duale added.
The business and political leaders hailed the Ministry of Health for fumigating their premises and malls after the closure.
“We applaud the health procedures being put in place for both the business owners and customers.”
Leaders at the meeting also vouched for the requirement for people to stay home, to avoid weddings and other social entertainment activities.
They also resolved that Kenyans abide by the curfew order as announced by President Uhuru Kenyatta, including stopping travel into and out of Nairobi Metropolitan area, Mombasa, Kwale and Kilifi.
The traders called on the Nairobi Metropolitan services to clear garbage in Eastleigh and unblock sewer lines – drainage is messy in most areas.
The community hailed efforts by CS Mutahi Kagwe with a call that fighting coronavirus “is a collective moral responsibility of all the 47 million Kenyans regardless of their ethnic, religious and social status.”
(edited by o. owino)
