Restaurant operators now want the government to extend their allowed operation time by four hours to 8pm.
Their petition was made by officials from the Pubs, Entertainment and Restaurants Association of Kenya (PERAK) through a press briefing on Friday.
They claimed extension of the national dusk-to-dawn curfew to 9pm should be accompanied by an extension of restaurant opening hours to at least 8 pm.
“We request to be allowed to operate up to at most 8pm, as our operators have their own arrangements for staff accommodation and transport, which means that curfew hours will be observed,” PERAK patron Patrick Muya said.
Eateries are supposed to operate until 4pm, while the curfew times have been reviewed from 7pm to 5am to 9pm to 4am.
The association also urged the government to crack down on entertainment spots that fail to adhere to Covid-19 regulations “rather than take drastic measures that would indiscriminately impact a whole sector of the economy with dire economic straits.”
Officials asked the authorities to reconsider a plan to withdraw all liquor licences.
Patrick Mbogo, the chairman of the Nairobi chapter, said the association had asked the government to take action against establishments that had failed to abide by the law, but were wary of suggestions from some quarters that liquor licences for all establishments would be withdrawn.
“As the country has worked to contain the spread of Covid-19, the sector has suffered the brunt of the necessary measures to limit the spread of the deadly virus. We have had to close and send our employees home, as we all followed directives by the government,” Mbogo said.
“Earlier this week, we wrote to the Ministry of Health asking for stern action on the establishments that fail to adhere to the guidelines. We took this action as such establishments are a stain on our business and are likely to not only discourage our patrons from coming back. They are also likely to make the Government roll back the measures taken to enable a return to economic activity”.
Mbogo noted that shutting down the sector would place the lives of at least 1.8 million workers at risk as it would deprive them of the opportunity to earn a livelihood, which has been further undermined by the slowdown in economic activity.
During Friday's Covid-19 briefing, director of Public Health said there are discussions on the operating time, and it should be reviewed upwards soon.
He hit out at eateries opening past the renewed curfew time.
"We will withdraw your licence and make sure it is not renewed," he said.
