Athi River firms to comply with Covid rules or close

Machakos county has threatened to close Athi River companies if they don’t comply with Covid-19 containment rules.

Ninety per cent of the Machakos cases come from Athi River. Companies in the Express Processing Zone are a major concern.

Officials say causes include general carelessness,  “reckless” behavior of truck drivers and Machakos’ proximity to Nairobi county, a Covid-19 hotspot.

Mavoko subcounty has recorded more than 250 cases. The county has reported 360 cases.

Speaking in Machakos on Friday, Governor Alfred Mutua said the Council of Governors is worried by the rising numbers of positive cases.

He said it is considering tougher containment measures.

"This is a very trying moment for us as the numbers are rising. The Council of Governors is scared that if the trend continues we will be in a lot of trouble,” Mutua said.

He said the numbers were expected to increase, especially in Mlolongo and Mavoko as they border the metropolitan area that connects them to Nairobi county.

Controlling movement between Machakos and Nairobi is a problem, he said.

Deputy Governor Eng. Francis Maliti said some cases come from companies in the Export Processing zone and emphasised that employees must not be exposed to the disease.

He said the county has issued its own Covid-19 guidelines and companies that fail to comply will be shut down.

EPZ Authority chairman Paul Gicheru said he would support closure over non-compliance.

“The Covid-19 problem is everywhere, it’s a disaster not limited to any one institution,” he said.

Gicheru said some infections in the zone could be caused by the “reckless” behavior of truck drivers on the Namanga-Nairobi road. That’s where the EPZ and most residential areas are located.

"EPZ has done the best it can do although Tanzania’s reckless attitude towards this pandemic is really a big problem for us in controlling the spread of Covid-19,” he said.

(Edited by V. Graham)