Kenyan restaurant operators call on the president to lift curfew

With the decline in COVID-19 infection cases over the last three weeks, Kenyan restaurant operators have asked President Uhuru Kenyatta to lift curfew to allow them operate longer for revival of the economy.

At a news conference held in the capital Nairobi on Tuesday, the Pubs, Entertainment, and Restaurants Association of Kenya said the entertainment sector has been left out as others benefit from relaxation of restrictions imposed to limit spread of the pandemic.

The association said medical professionals are also supporting the call to lift curfew, arguing that more focus should be on vaccination. It added that strict measures should only be imposed when there is an upsurge of infections.

The operators' call came a day after Kenyatta said the curfew would be lifted soon, but there were concerns that without a definite timeline, the sector will continue to suffer.

Frank Mbogo, the chairman of the association, said sector players are convinced that it's the time to lift the curfew and other restrictions that have since March 2020 resulted in the loss of livelihoods in the hard-hit sector.

Over the last three weeks, COVID-19 infection rates have been below 5 percent and increased vaccinations have given hope that the pandemic could slow down substantially for the protocols to be relaxed.

Michael Muthami the national chairman of the association, said there has been a rapid increase in vaccinations across the country and there is an evident effort to not only get more vaccines in the country but to get them to more people.

"This demonstrates the direction the country needs to go and the next phase of dealing with the pandemic," he said.

Muthami said many bar and restaurant operators continue to suffer harassment at the hands of the police as they enforce the protocols.

The entertainment sector remains the only one facing restrictions as all other sectors are open – matatus are operating at full capacity, supermarkets and other markets are open and churches are open and functioning normally," he said.

According to the association, more than 15,000 bars and restaurants have been shut since the onset of the pandemic, rendering an estimated 90,000 workers jobless.

Also affected by the move has been the livelihoods of others in the value chain – fresh produce suppliers, taxi operators, and food vendors.

Due to the impact of the restrictions on sale of alcohol compounded by the increase in excise taxes, excise revenue levied on beer, wines and spirits reduced by 19 percent in 2020.