• During Uhuru's last address, bar owners were directed to develop self-regulating mechanisms in consultation with the MoH.
•Governors and other officials are expected at the national Covid-19 conference at KICC on Monday to give their views on the lessons learned in fighting the virus that can be used to reopen the country and move it forward.
Image: PSCU
Kenyans are eagerly waiting to hear what President Uhuru Kenyatta will during his 12th address to the nation since the coronavirus struck the nation on March 18, 2020.
The President is expected to among other other issues announce whether he will lift the 9pm-4am curfew and decide the fate of bars and clubs after six months of closure.
Bars were closed and restaurants barred from selling alcohol on March 25 as the government moved to curb the spread of the virus.
Among other restrictions introduced by the government was the requirement to keep a two-meter distance in public places.
Restaurants and eateries were among places initially closed, but were reopened under stringent conditions which were slowly relaxed over time.
During Uhuru's last address, bar owners were directed to develop self-regulating mechanisms in consultation with the MoH.
"In the next 30 days, bar owners in consultation with MoH will develop self-regulating mechanisms as part of their civic responsibility to their clientele, in order to allow their resumption,” Uhuru said.
Governors and other officials are expected at the national Covid-19 conference at KICC on Monday to give their views on the lessons learned in fighting the virus that can be used to reopen the country and move it forward.
The address by the president will unveil the containment measures that shall guide Kenya into the new normal.
There have been indications the president will soften various measures already in place after the meeting. This follows reports the curve is flattening and the recovery rate is promising.
The president on Saturday gave an indication of adaptation of a new normal when he announced the resumption of more sporting events.
The National Co-ordination Committee on the Coronavirus Pandemic chaired by interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has been holding a series of meetings in preparation for the conference and address.
Places of worship were reopened in July, following the guidelines developed by the Inter-Faith Council.
Among the guidelines was to limit the number of congregations to a maximum of 100. This was later reviewed to allow congregants based on the spaces available in worsip places keeping in mind the social distancing rules.
Also, the number of wedding attendants were reduced as well as the number of burial ceremonies.
The Teachers Service Commission directed all teachers to report to their various schools on Monday ahead of planned resumption.
The government is still drafting measures that will see learning institutions resuming to normal operations after the shutdown in March.
The government and the education stakeholders are expected to meet to deliberate on the fate of education in the country.
Uhuru is also expected to either lift the dust-dawn order which was effected on March 27 to cushion Kenyans from the virus.
Earlier, curfew started from 7 pm to 5 am but was later revised to run from 9 pm to 4 am during the partial reopening of the country.
Last week, the president extended the containment measures, including the 9 pm-4 am curfew, until September 29.
In a statement last Monday, Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua said the planned National Covid-19 Conference will be presided over by Uhuru, thereafter, he will make his 12th national address on the Covid-19 situation.
As of Sunday, the number of positive cases reached 38,115 as deaths related to the virus reached 691.
According to MoH, there is a possibility of a second wave of the virus, warning Kenyans to keep adhering to the measures set in place.
In the last two months, politics in the country took the center stage even as the virus continues to bite.
Politicians, including the president, have been spotted several times breaching the set measures, including those on social distance in public places.
The same has been repeated several times by Deputy President William Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga, addressing hundreds of crowds without masks.
The move has triggered Kenyans to hope for the full reopening of the country, even as MoH continues to preach the gospel of ‘Adhering to set containment measures.’
The president is also expected to address the Kemsa scandal after 21 days given to EACC to investigate the probe ended.
In his last address, the president asked government agencies to expedite investigations into alleged theft of funds at Kemsa.
"Given the public interest the relevant agencies should expedite investigations and conclude the same within 21 days," he said.
"All persons found to be culpable from the ongoing investigations on Covid funds should be brought to book notwithstanding their social status or political affiliations."