Kenya Insights

Tag: COVID 19 restrictions

  • CS Amina rolls out new sporting guidelines

    CS Amina rolls out new sporting guidelines

    Cabinet Secretary for Sports Amina Mohamed has unveiled a raft of measures that will guide the resumption of sporting activities in the country but spectators will still be kept off the sporting events.

    The CS also announced that Kenya will send its first delegation of athletes to Kurume City in Fukuoka on July 5 for a pre-camp ahead of the Olympic Games scheduled to begin on July 23 in Tokyo, Japan.

    This year’s Olympic will see participating teams accommodated at designated Bubble training camps in strict adherence to the guidelines of the Japan’s Ministry of Health and the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games playbook.

    “Testing of Athletes shall be done every 96 hours until the commencement of the Olympic Games to ensure that Kenyan athletes are safe and exposed to the rigors of Covid-19 control expected in Tokyo,” the statement reads.

    CS Amina’s announcement comes two weeks after President Uhuru Kenyatta directed the Ministries of Sports and Health to develop a road map to resumption of sports as he lifted the suspension on all sports activities and cessation within five counties including Nairobi, Kiambu, Nakuru, Kajiado and Machakos.

    Nick Kithuku Mwendwa, President, Football Kenya Federation [p/courtesy]
    “I thank my colleague in the Ministry of Health, Hon. Mutahi Kagwe for the support in revising and approving these guidelines and call upon all stakeholders to comply with them. “Together, we can fight the pandemic and maintain a low case load to guarantee continued play,” said CS Amina.

    The announcement will see FKF Premier League will become the first top-flight football competition to resume action in Kenya when Kariobangi Sharks face off with Kakamega Homeboyz in Nairobi on Friday.

    The league was halted on March 26 after President Uhuru Kenyatta ordered the indefinite suspension of all sporting activities citing a spike infections weeks before the Easter celebrations.

    FKF has been struggling to have the league resume but the Ministry of Health stuck on the decision that plunged the Kenyan league into uncertainty on whether it will be played to the end or it will be cancelled like the 2019-20 season.

  • Amnesty International criticize Kenya’s Covid-19 restrictions as punitive

    Amnesty International criticize Kenya’s Covid-19 restrictions as punitive

    Amnesty International Kenya has condemned Kenya’s punitive enforcement of the Covid-19 restrictions that includes police arrests and blocking of major roads in Nairobi after the 8pm curfew period which left many form four students, passengers and city motorists stranded on Monday.

    The human rights organization expressed their disappointment with what they termed as irregular and disproportionate treatment of Kenyans under the pretense of Covid-19 enforcement which is a complete violation of fundamental rights and freedoms of Kenyans.

    Amnesty Kenya Campaign Manager for Freedoms & Citizenship, Demas Kiprono,  said the road blockage has resulted into undue punishment of Kenyans and denied people the right to seek emergency medical care.

    “By law, all government action must be based on written law; be necessary and proportionate, and must pursue a legitimate aim. The blockade was unnecessary and disproportionate and thus illegal,” said Kiprono.

    The lobby group said in a statement that health professionals across the world have attested that Covid-19 prevention is reliant on adequate communication that affirms the citizens’ role and works with health professionals in seeking compliance. Enforcement of the covid-19 restrictions should not be punishment and attacks on the people to force compliance.

    Houghton Irungu, Executive Director of Amnesty International Kenya [p/courtesy]
    Amnesty International Kenya is now challenging the Ministry of Interior led by CS Fred Matiang’i to urgently review their proposed enforcement methods of covid-19 protocols and ensure that their response is aimed at preserving life.

    “We note that the punitive enforcement of the curfew is in stark contrast to the enforcement of the law against those who have stolen monies earmarked for Covid-19 relief. This includes the KEMSA scandal that has occasioned the ARV drugs impasse with USAID.”

    The lobby group also challenged the National Treasury to urgently release monies to all the county governments to carry out all devolved functions by adequately financing response to public health needs, including the Covid- 19 pandemic interventions.

    “We also call on upon the Senate and the National Assembly (Parliament) to rise to its role of oversight and representation of the people to ensure constitutional and human rights centred responses in managing and containing COVID-19,” the statement reads.

    Amnesty International spoke after hundreds of Kenyans including Form Four students who had finished their exams were trapped on Monday by the daily 8pm to 4am curfew.