The Mombasa county government has set aside sh 200 million to cater for relief food to the vulnerable members of the community should a total lockdown be ordered as part of efforts to mitigate the spread Coronavirus.
This is according to the Mombasa county governor Ali Hassan Joho who on Thursday said that the money would be used to cater to essential food items to families who survive on daily wages.
“A large proportion of the population in Mombasa lives on daily wages” Joho said.
Joho who said that he believed that a lockdown is the only way to defeat Covid 19 said the food would benefit more than 240,000 people in vulnerable households.
However, the governor appealed to well-wishers to support to fund saying that sh 700 million was required to make the kitty a success.
This comes just a day after President Uhuru Kenyatta announced a 7.00 pm to 5.00 am curfew.
While addressing the nation at State House in Nairobi, President Uhuru Kenyatta said the 10 hours daily curfew will ensure that the country continues to follow the procedures as laid out by the Ministry of Health with regards to the mitigation of COVID-19.
“This shall be in effect in the territory of the Republic of Kenya, with all movement by persons not authorized to do so or not being Medical Professionals, Health Workers, Critical and Essential Services Providers, being prohibited between those hours. The full list of Critical and Essential Service Providers shall be provided in more detail by the Ministry of Interior and National Coordination,” said President Kenyatta.
This comes just a few days after the Kilifi county government banned Boda Boda and tuk-tuks from operating in a bid to curb the spread of the virus.
The government also closed down firms in a letter signed by the Kilifi county secretary Jefwa Mkare.
“Please note that failure to abide by the directives aforementioned will lead to severe consequences which shall attract heavy sanctions including permanent closure of your business firms and prosecution,” the letter, read in part.
On Tuesday, Kilifi was named alongside Mombasa, Kwale, and Nairobi, as Coronavirus hotspots following cases that were reported and confirmed from these counties.
