Boda boda riders who will be arrested for refusing to heed the 7pm curfew in Teso North will not be defended by their association.
Teso North Boda Boda Association secretary Bernard Esiromo said on Saturday that his members must follow curfew orders.
He said the stay-home directive is meant to limit the spread of coronavirus which boda riders are at a high risk of getting because of the nature of their business.
“None of our members was arrested on the first day of the curfew although our office has been informed there are those who went home late,” Esiromo told the Star on phone.
“We have ordered all members to be at home by 7pm. Anyone found outside the homeand is arrested will square it out himself. The association will not intervene.”
Teso North has more than 5,000 registered boda boda riders.
The dusk-to-dawn curfew began on Friday as the government moved to limit movement in a bid to curb the spread of coronavirus.
By Monday, Kenya had 42 cases of the respiratory disease with one person having died and one said to have recovered.
Esiromo said it will be the responsibility of the association to ensure members remain safe.
He asked members to wash their hands constantly and provide hand washing facilities for their clients.
He also asked them to follow other health safety guidelines given by Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe.
On Friday when the curfew was effected, most urban areas in Teso North remained deserted.
GSU officers deployed in Malaba town before 6pm sent panic in the usually busy town forcing businesses to close early.
There were heightened patrols in Amagoro, Kocholya, Angurai, Katakwa, Moding and other trading centres as the curfew began.
President Uhuru Kenyatta, while imposing the curfew last week on Wednesday, said he will not back off from declaring total lockdown if Kenyans continue ignoring basic government directives.
Edited by R.Wamochie
