The Kenya Human Rights Commission has issued a press release calling for president Uhuru Kenyatta to declare a state of emergency over coronavirus.
Despite commending the Kenyan government for finally providing an appropriate response to the threat that a coronavirus infection presents to the country, KHRC noted that the measures announced by the Kenya government fall in the realm of the declaration of a state of emergency which the Constitution empowers the President to make.
📢#PressRelease📢 #COVID19KE #Coronaviruskenya
President Uhuru Kenyatta must declare a state of emergency over coronavirus #KOT pic.twitter.com/BeCUoMYQr6— KHRC (@thekhrc) March 17, 2020
They have argued that the president may declare a state of emergency when Kenya “is threatened by war, invasion, general insurrection disorder, natural disaster or other public emergency.
Kenyan citizen, who had flown in from Ohio, USA, via London to Nairobi, was 1st to test positive for covid-19.
Officially confirming three cases of Coronavirus(Covid-19 disease) in the country, Uhuru later on addressed the nation at Harambee House.
The Government in taking necessary precaution suspended all travel for persons coming into Kenya from countries with reported Covid-19 cases.
Government offices, business and companies have been encouraged to allow employees to work from home, with the exception on critical services.
Cashless transactions e.g Mpesa and use of credit cards also advised to avoid using cash.
Citizens were further encouraged to avoid congregating at places of worship, weddings, and funerals.
All 27 people who came into close contact with ‘patient zero’ have also been tested for the virus at the National Influenza Centre.
The government on Monday evening, March 16, announced that it was closely monitoring 17 possible cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19)
Addressing the press at the Teleposta Towers in Nairobi, Government Spokesperson Cyrus Oguna, urged the nation to remain calm as they carried out tests on the seventeen individuals.
The number of infected currently officially stands at four.