Health measures ignored as Kenyans retreat to old habits

A worrying trend of indifference in observing the public health guidelines to contain the spread of the coronavirus appears to be creeping in among Kenyans as most people gradually return to their daily activities.

From flouting curfew rules to increasing crowd sizes in markets, supermarkets and restaurants, some matatus are carrying full capacity with some passengers not even wearing face masks.

It is a dangerous dance with death considering the number of infections keep rising with authorities urging caution to arrest what is now a community transmission.

Most of those with masks are either not covering their mouths and noses as required.  

A spot check by the Star team across the country shows disregard of the health measures, including social distancing.

Police have been engaged in running battles with the public in Kondele, Manyatta, Mamboleo, Migosi and Nyalenda areas of Kisumu as they seek to enforce curfew.

Some of the locals wait until past 10 pm to move around the lakeside town when the officers are off streets and back to their stations.

Most of the restaurants and hotels were observing strict hygiene and social distancing when the outbreak was first reported but things have now resumed to normal with crowds frequently seen.

“I went to one restaurant within Kisumu town. At first, they were maintaining social distancing but currently, their operations are back to normal, there is nothing like social distancing anymore,” Kisumu resident Dan Otieno said.

Supermarkets like Tumaini, Naivas among others are also increasingly getting crowded.

In Siaya, the devastating effects of the flooding especially in Alego Usonga have diverted the attention from Covid-19 control measures.

Most residents are now focusing on how they can rebuild their lives with little attention given to the directives issued by the Ministry of Health.

In Homa Bay, boda boda riders carry more than one passenger despite the directive that they carry only one at a time. At their waiting points, the riders are often in groups. 

“The cost of living is unbearable and so I cannot carry only one passenger. I cannot also hike the fares because I will lose customers,” Brian Nyongesa said.

Not much difference could be observed in Kiambu and the larger Nairobi area. Social distancing seems foreign as vendors, boda boda riders and customers crisscross the busy Githurai market. 

At the bus stop, there are matatus closely parked, each with about three or four young men touting. Some conductors in uniform are walking around with sanitiser bottles but only very few are asking passengers to sanitise their hands before boarding. 

"The sanitiser they have are mainly water and detergents like Omo and they don't really wash your hands, they simply spray once on your hand and ask you to get in," Mama Wambui told the Star. She went to the market to buy food items and clothing.

"It's very crowded and you can see the streets are full of people. It's impossible to maintain social distance when it's business as usual here," she said. 

And as in other parts of the country, the Star observed that most people have masks around their necks. Others are carrying them on their hands, some covering only their mouths leaving their noses exposed while others have their masks hanging from the sides of their ears. 

Just like other markets across the city, small scale vendors set up next to each other and have crowds of people surrounding them, picking out and selecting items, oblivious of the risk of exposure to coronavirus.

In Kiambu town, residents seem to have thrown caution to the wind.

 “We have been operating this way because we need to fend for our families and our customers who are matatu touts and drivers cannot go to a restaurant which has special sitting arrangements. We advise them to wash hands first before eating,” said Mary Njeri, a kiosk hotel owner in Kiambu town's bus park.

In Kakamega and Busia counties, people are carelessly putting their lives in danger. Police seem to have become complacent as they ignore the violations.

 Though bars seem closed, operations go on as usual secretly, albeit with knowledge of law enforcers.

“In Busia, the requirement for wearing of masks is not taken seriously. You only see people with masks when the police threaten arrest. We wear them (masks) because of police,” a resident said.

Beer drinkers have devised a plan to beat security and public health officials to sneak through the closed Kenya-Uganda border for a drink across.

The residents who go to Uganda for a drink have acquired badges for clearing agents who are part of the essential service providers and reflective jackets.

“They use the badges to cross over after screening at the border and once on the Ugandan side, they have their hands stamped as a sign of clearance they are safe,” said another resident who did not want to be named.

Those sneaking through the border to purchase food use panya routes across River Malaba where they are assisted by swimmers.

Here police seem to have gone slow on the curfew as people can still be seen in the streets well past 8pm.

The residents are however keen on those sneaking out of counties that are under containment to the region.

Last Tuesday, a traveller reported to police a man who was bragging in a matatu from Kisumu how he had managed to escape from Nairobi.

The vehicle was intercepted in Mumias by police who detained the man.

Police later said the suspect was sent into quarantine in Bungoma and will be charged thereafter. 

In Vihiga, most people wear masks in the public while bars and eateries owners have closed down their businesses.

Within the last two months, more than 2,000 people have been arrested in Eldoret and other parts of the North Rift region for defying the curfew orders and measures imposed by the state to control the spread of Covid-19.

Those arrested have been detained at quarantine centres set up by county governments and released after two weeks of counselling and training

But the high number of arrests is an indication of how many Kenyans have taken lightly the measures against the virus.

North Rift governors led by Jackson Mandago admit that it's has been an uphill task for counties and the police to deal with the many people who keep on defying Covid-19 control measures.

Like other region, markets in Eldoret are flooded with people. Matatu operators carry more than the required passengers thus disregard social distancing. Many eateries and restaurants have resumed business without complying with measures that were set as a condition for reopening.

Similar situations were witnessed in other towns like Iten, Kitale and Kapsabet.

"This business as usual approach and defiance of Covid-19 control measures provide ground for the spread of the virus," Mandago said.

He was particularly incensed that many people engage in gatherings at chang'aa and busaa drinking dens where simple measures like social distancing, wearing of masks and handwashing are always non-existent.

Following the closure of bars, many revellers retreated to chang'aa dens in the villages while those used to bars in towns have devised other ways to still wet their throats.

"Many people still close themselves in bars to continue drinking even during curfew hours while other groups in homes to do the same. All these are risky tricks that we are dealing with," Uasin Gishu county commissioner Abdirisack Jaldesa said.

Even public officers or respected people in society including athletes are among those so far arrested in the region over the defiance.

To also beat the security agencies, many people lock themselves in cars outside bars where they are served with alcohol.

Jaldesa said they have also received reports of security officers who take bribes to release those arrested.

"We have dealt with such complaints and the most important thing here is for Kenyans to understand that these measures are for the good of all of us and not the government. Full compliance will save us from the spread of Covid-19," the administrator said.

In a statement issued by governors from the region after their seventh virtual meeting to assess the Covid-19 situation, the county chiefs expressed concern that borders even in counties placed under containment remain porous allowing many people to escape and expose other Kenyans to the virus.

In Eldoret, it's common for people to brag how they travel to and from Nairobi by bribing police officers stationed to man the entry points.

"It's important for security teams to enforce more strict measures even on truck drivers who also illegally help people to escape from areas under containment", Trans Nzoia Governor Patrick Khaemba said.

Edited by P.O