Working during a curfew and what to watch out for!

Kenya, like other states tackling COVID-19 pandemic instituted a daily dusk-to-dawn curfew on 27^th March, 2020. To further contain spread of the disease for most COVID-19 affected areas namely Nairobi Metropolitan areas, Kilifi, Kwale and Mombasa Counties, H.E president Uhuru Kenyatta further effected on 6^th April, 2020, an extra-ordinarily emergency measures to lock-down these affected areas.

So, what is a curfew and why is it necessary?

A curfew seeks to maintain public health and safety in times of a crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Curfew restricts movement of people and goods with certain specified hours except for what’s considered critical and essential services. CKL operations have been classified as critical and essential services.

During a curfew, people are required to remain at their homes depending on the curfew period. Curfews are enforced through arrest or fine. For instance, the Public Order Act Chapter 56, Part iv section 6 states that any person who contravenes any of the provisions of a curfew order shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding one thousand shillings or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months, or to both such fine and such imprisonment.

It is now mandatory to wear face masks while in public spaces. According to the Public Health Act, Legal Notice 50, section 4, it is required that users of public or private transport and public transport operators to wear a proper mask that must cover the person’s mouth and nose. Failure to do so, a person commits an offence and shall on conviction be liable to a fine not exceeding twenty thousand shillings or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months or both. 

To ensure that we comply with curfew provisions, CKL offices will close as early as 4:00PM to allow staff to beat the 7:00 PM curfew. All staff have also been issued with Staff Identity Cards. Carry the identify cards with you. You never know when it could become handy! CKL letters of authorization have been issued to all our drivers and their assistants including CKL vehicle identification stickers. These are mandatory documents for our drivers to carry whenever they move into and out of locked counties and working during curfew hours. CKL has also issued face masks to all our staff. We encourage proper use of these masks.

Even as CKL implements these measures, we encourage everyone to take personal responsibility to stay safe and follow diligently all government directives. Together we shall overcome COVID-19 pandemic.