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There will be consequences, Uhuru warns VIPs on breaching curfew

On Sunday, Uhuru's bodyguard was arrested in a curfew roadblock drama.

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by PATRICK VIDIJA

Covid-1916 April 2020 - 15:14
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In Summary


  • • On Sunday, President Uhuru Kenyatta's bodyguard was arrested in a curfew roadblock drama.
  • • In another incident, ODM leader Raila Odinga, Jubilee party vice-chairperson David Murathe and other politicians allied to Uhuru were flagged through the Isinya border despite restrictions on movement in and out of Nairobi save for essential services providers.
Police man a roadblock.

President Uhuru Kenyatta has warned of dire consequences against government officials breaching the laid down Covid-19 protocols.

Uhuru on Thursday said such officers, especially those tasked to enforce the measures will be held responsible for their actions.

He said while the law enforcement agencies have been tasked to keep order and keep Kenyans safe, those who violate the laid down procedures will be dealt with in accordance with the law.

"I must commend the law enforcement officers for keeping  Kenyans safe and maintaining order. However every-time a regulation is breached with assistance of a government officer risks thousands of innocent  lives," he said.

Uhuru added, "Those who will breach the laid down regulations will be dealt with harshest of sanctions".

Uhuru's sentiments comes after public outrage over how officers manning roadblocks were sneaking in those perceived to be VIPs.

On Sunday, President Uhuru Kenyatta's bodyguard was arrested in a curfew roadblock drama.

The officer was disarmed and arrested but was never booked after instructions from the Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai.

According to a police report at Embakasi Division, the incident happened at around 10pm at a roadblock mounted at the former GSU training school junction.

 The report titled visit by a senior officer notes that Major-General Ayub Matiri, the Commanding Officer of the National Command Centre for Covid-19 had visited the roadblock.

 
 

"His observation was that most of the violators of the curfew order were police officers and army officers. He communicated the same to the IG-NPS," the report says.

In another incident, ODM leader Raila Odinga, Jubilee party vice-chairperson David Murathe and other politicians allied to Uhuru were flagged through the Isinya border despite restrictions on movement in and out of Nairobi save for essential services providers.

The politicians were headed to a meeting hosted at the COTU secretary general Francis Atwoli's residence.

 This is despite the fact that Atwoli's home is outside the Nairobi Metropolitan area which has movement restrictions in line with measures to tame the spread of Covid-19.

Th two incidents sparked outrage with police being accused of being agents to breaching the restrictions.

But Uhuru in his address to the nation said police officers are meant to serve and protect Kenyans against the spread of the virus and not to enable a few selfish individuals to endanger the lives of others.

"If you are a police officer in charge of a police station, a county commissioner or a chief, let me be clear that there will be consequences,' he said.

Uhuru, while condemning members of the public for assaulting police officers, said those who will be found culpable will also be dealt with in accordance with the full force of the law.

He said his government is striving to adopt the best approach in dealing with the effects of the pandemic that has left 11 people dead and 234 infected.

Some 53 others have recovered, 1,000 are still in quarantine facilities and 156 in isolation centres across the country.

"We are working towards developing actions that will assist all of us through this period towards recoveries," Uhuru said.

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