• Bans movement into and out of Nairobi, Kilifi, Kwale and Mombasa Counties for 21 days.
• Uhuru confirmed 16 more coronavirus cases bringing the country's total number to 158.
Image: FILE
President Uhuru Kenyatta has directed the Executive, Judiciary, Legislature and county governments to re-allocate travel funds to fight coronavirus.
"Treasury to appropriate all domestic and travel budgets...and relocate these resources to combat coronavirus," he said.
Addressing the nation on Monday, Uhuru said Kenyans must unite to fight the disease.
"Even as we pray for the best, we must be ready for the worst. It is in moments like these that the character of a people and the destiny of the nation is truly clarified," Uhuru said.
But he noted that every Kenyan must continue paying taxes to ensure that the country continues towards its prosperity.
"As we provide relief to the most vulnerable, we must be patriotic and pay our taxes. Honour obligations to guarantee the delivery of public good."
Uhuru said even in the circumstances, this fight will not dampen the spirit of the Kenyan people.
"..we will creatively deploy our talents in all fronts to conquer the current challenge even as we collectively fashion the destiny of our nation," he said.
Uhuru confirmed 16 more coronavirus cases bringing the country's total number to 158.
He said to date, the ministry had tested a total of 4,277 people.
He further declared the cessation of movement into and out of Nairobi, Kilifi, Kwale and Mombasa Counties for 21 days.
The directive starts on Monday at 7pm for Nairobi and on Wednesday for the other high-risk counties.
Uhuru said the majority of people who had contracted the disease were residents of Nairobi, Kilifi, Kwale and Mombasa counties.
The President has asked landlords across the country not to put tenants under undue pressure to pay rent.
Uhuru said the Covid-19 outbreak had put unprecedented pressure on the economy and the results were already devastating.
As a result, he said, many organisations had sent employees home while others have laid them off.
The current situation called for compassion and understanding, the president said.
He said he was pleased with landlords who had already put measures in place to waive rent for their tenants until the situation stabilised.
"I want to urge the rest to emulate the same by not putting people in more vulnerable situations," he said.
He added, "I want to extend my gratitude to those who have continued to share the heavy burden of the pandemic by rising to the occasion and sharing in the bounty of their blessings to waive rent for those who are more vulnerable".
Uhuru further directed the Nairobi Metropolitan Area to ensure that residents were supplied with free water.
Edited by R.Wamochie