Kilifi County is literally dancing with death in as far as the Covid-19 pandemic is concerned.
Even after the County Covid-19 Emergency Steering Committee co-chaired by Governor Amason Kingi and County Commissioner Kutswa Olaka came up with radical measures to stop the spread of the pandemic, folks in Kilifi care less.
Not politicians, not public service vehicle users (Matatus, conductors) and vendors, almost everyone is flouting the healthy protocols, hence exposing Kilifi to a more dangerous dangle in as far as Covid infections and deaths is concerned.
Last Friday the committee came up with resolutions to prevent further the spread of the pandemic.
Among the resolutions were to minimize visitation to hospitals and both the national and county government to scale down on non-essential services and encourage online services.
The county also suspended open markets-suspended for 30 days and that regular Markets- Market committees and County Enforcement department to ensure compliance with Covid-19 protocols
As usually bars are supposed to close by 7.00 p.m. and that proprietors who don’t comply will be arrested forthwith and licenses revoked by County Government.
Churches/ Mosques should strictly implement the 1/3 rule and the number of worshipers be displayed conspicuously at church entrance
Other health protocol includes vehicles to fully comply with MOH protocols rule and multi-agency enforcement team to resume activities on the roads immediately.
The committee also warned that drivers and conductors whose vehicles flout rules to be arrested and sacco licences be withdrawn by NTSA.
The committee also ordered that bereaved families to bury their deceased relatives latest within 48 hours after confirmation of a death, a situation that will also be observed for the next 30 days.
The committee also banned oovernight vigils, disco matangas and that a burial ceremony to take a maximum of 2 hours.
Political ggatherings were also banned as per the national Covid-19 protocols.
While these are among the measures to flatten the curve, this weekend politicians as usually flouted some of these protocols, hiking one burial after another and a hive of activities.
But what was more dangerous is the matatu operators who have now devised a new way to beat the police roadblocks.
They usually overload the matatus at the terminal then whenever they near a police roadblock, reduce the number of passengers, put the on motorcycles so that they can pass the roadblock and then wait for the passengers to board.
“We need to service bro even if there is covid. The situation is tough everywhere, said a driver on Marafa-Malindi route when asked by Uzalendo News reporter.
The operators said the covid had affected their business and with the tough economic times, it is difficult to observe.
“if I remain with the eight passengers, what shall I get at the end of the day. It is all in name of surviving, not that we don’t want to observe the protocols,” said the driver.
Kilifi has continued to record increasing covid-19 cases a situation that forced the committee to relook at the situation and give out new directions.
Around Kilifi s major towns like Kilifi, Malindi, Mtwapa and Watamu, it is business as usually with many not properly wearing the mask and exposing many more people to infections.
