•Roadside maize roasters and fried fish businesses thrive even within the Central Business District.
Image: LOICE MACHARIA
Thousands of Nakuru residents continued life as usual, largely ignoring the set precautionary measures of hand washing, social distancing and avoiding public gatherings.
Roadside maize roasters and fried fish businesses thrive even within the Central Business District.
A spot check by the Star found maize roasters by the roadside opening their businesses around 11am in order to operate as long as possible.
Residents too, did not pay much attention to sanitising.
Tuk tuk driver Musyoka, said he had no option but to eat food from kiosks as the places he used to eat from were closed. "All the places where I could afford a meal were closed and some of the traders relocated to other places outside the town center leaving us with no option but eat what what is available."
In the estates, especially the low income settlements of Rhonda, Marikina, Bondeni, Kivumbini and many others, it was business as usual as, men roasting mtura outside butcheries, women frying fish and people congregating in food kiosks and small hotels for meals.
Image: LOICE MACHARIA
At the Heshima roadside market, caution was thrown to the wind as there were no hand-washing points.
Social distancing was also not observed in Gilgil where there was a demonstration to protest a county government move to relocate produce traders to land meant for a slaughter house and here too, social distancing was not observed.
Major supermarkets in the town apart from Naivasha were still issuing luggage tags without caring to sanitise them before giving them out or when returned.
Asked why the laid down guidelines to curb the spread of Covid-19 were not being followed, Nakuru County Commissioner, Erastus Mbui said that was the mandate of the Public Health Department.
He said he was ready to send security officers to help the mandated department enforce the guidelines. "I helped them close down the food kiosks in town and I am ready to do so in the estates if I am asked to," he said.
Chief Officer in charge of Public Health, Samuel King'ori said he was not aware that such businesses were taking place, including within the town centre. He said he and the Nakuru Coronavirus Emergency Response Team were so busy they missed some points.He promised to send the county enforcement officers to all the affected areas to ensure the precautionary measures are followed to the letter.