• He said the idea of people sitting and waiting inside your premises should not be encouraged.
• Kagwe warned those who are still yet to comply with the government directives and cited those in the jua kali sector and boda boda operators.
Image: DOUGLAS OKIDDY
Health CS Mutahi Kagwe has lectured small scale businessmen especially those plying their trade in open-air markets asking them to be keen in the fight against coronavirus.
Addressing the media on Thursday at Afya House, Kagwe said these traders in open markets should take all the necessary precautions such as using masks.
"Assume that everybody is positive and deal with the situation. The person next to you is positive.. the person holding that sukumawiki is positive," he said.
"When you protect me I will protect you. This disease is being moved by people, it does not move alone."
Kagwe said Kenyans depend on the small businesses and that they should take extra caution.
"We depend on you. I am appealing to those who are doing this kind of businesses to ensure that social distancing is practised wherever you are," he said.
He said the idea of people sitting and waiting inside your premises should not be encouraged.
"That is just a problem. This is where the virus is working at its best. When somebody sits there reading a newspaper then the next person reads the same paper, you will get the disease," he said.
Kagwe warned those who are still yet to comply with the government directives and cited those in the jua kali sector and boda boda operators.
"We will not allow any Kenyan to die because some people fail to adhere to the set guidelines. All business people, barbershop, salon attendants must follow the guidelines to; fumigate, observe social distance wear face masks, wash hands," he said.
"Bodaboda operators are not adhering to measures, they are still carrying more than one person. If caught the boda boda will be impounded."
GAINS
Kagwe lauded Kenyans for adhering to measure outlined by the government to curb the spread of coronavirus.
"People are increasingly coming to the realisation that this disease is here with us. This is a gain," he said.
"I want to emphasize that this is not a government that is trying to make its citizens act. This is a government that wants to act with the citizens."
Kagwe thanked Kenyans for obeying curfews as well as travel restrictions.
"I encourage those that are lagging behind to move and do what others do. We expect to register more gains in the coming days. We cannot afford to drop the ball anytime soon," he said.
"We are called to move more vigilantly until our curve is flattened which we have not."
During his daily briefing, Kagwe announced five new coronavirus cases bringing the country's total number to 184.
The five new cases were out of 308 samples tested in the last 24 hours.
Out of the five new 13 cases, two are female and three are male.