Curfew: Should curfew be extended?

Kenya has been on a 7pm to 5am curfew since March 26, 2020.

President Uhuru Kenyatta announced the nationwide dusk-to-dawn curfew as one of the measures to contain the spread of coronavirus.

So far, the curfew and other measures are said to have helped flatten the curve in Kenya. However, the president recently acknowledged that the restrictions are not sustainable for long.

“I have told health officials and my ministers that they should start telling Kenyans that we cannot be under a curfew or lockdown forever. We cannot keep on telling Kenyans to stay at home, or that they should not tend to their business or even go to work,” he in an address to the nation.

This got many Kenyans excited bu the president was quick to warn that relaxing the measures may lead to more COVID-19 infections.

“When we open up, the disease will definitely spread. And it will not spread because the government will not have done its part, but because you will not have complied with the protocols. It will be upon you to ensure that you protect yourself, your loved ones and those you work with,” he said.

As Kenyans eagerly wait for the president’s directive on 6th June on whether the restrictions will be extended on not, there are two distinct effects of either move – as the president noted.

Extending the curfew and movement restrictions means that the economy will continue to take a beating and more Kenyans will lose their jobs.

On the flip side, lifting the curfew and containment measures has a possibility of enhancing the spread of the virus from the hotspots to the rest of the country.

What do you think President Uhuru Kenyatta should do? Join the debate in the comments.

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